Dazzle’s Donald Rossa wins CBCA award

The longtime owner of Denver’s premier jazz spot Dazzle, Donald Rossa is being feted along with three other community leaders at the Colorado Business Committee for the Arts (CBCA) annual awards luncheon, held on Tuesday, March 12, 2024, at the Seawell Ballroom at the Denver Performing Arts Center (In-person tickets are sold out; livestream tickets are available at CBCA.org. Rossa will receive the U.S. Bank Cultural Leadership Award for supporting “an inclusive local music scene for over 25 years.”

Nearly a decade ago, Rossa participated in the CBCA Leadership Arts program, designed to prepare people to serve on non-profit boards and increase their civic engagement in the arts. This year’s recognition notes Rossa’s campaign during the pandemic to support struggling musicians with a food bank on-site at Dazzle, and by making Dazzle a livestreaming venue.

“It really does take a community to make these things happen,” Rossa told KUVO. “I’m so thankful for the trust that people have put into Dazzle and me. The combination of effort and passion from many people has made something special here.”

Other CBCA honorees: Clelyn Chapin – Denver Women’s Chorus, Liz Hartsel – Fortis Law Partners, and Jandel Allen-Davis, M.D. – Craig Hospital. The CBCA’s Arts & Business Partnership Awards go to organizations that have gone above and beyond to support the arts and creative industries, including The Underground Music Showcase (UMS) and other visual arts entities.

(SOURCE: https://cbca.org/event/2024-business-for-the-arts-awards-luncheon/)