Same question, every candidate · Arts and culture forum
Final one-minute statement
Asked at the 2026 City Council Candidates Forum on Arts and Culture, September 15, 2026.
Each page shows one forum question and every candidate we quote on it, in ballot order. There are no scores. We mark yes or no only when the candidate said it outright. A blank means they didn't, so read the quote. Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording.
| Candidate | In their words |
|---|---|
| Taishya Adams | We need to invest in our values, and our budget doesn't currently reflect that. Speaker identified from speaking order; the moderator did not name them. Transcript note: Last drawn name; speaker says 'as mayor'. Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 2:00 · (Pt 4/5) 2026 City Council Candidates Forum on Arts and Culture (Boulder County Arts Alliance, YouTube) |
| Aaron Brockett | In fact, in 2024 we granted $1.4 million and that's since gone up to $2 million as of 2026. Speaker identified from speaking order; the moderator did not name them. Transcript note: Fifth of drawn names; speaker describes joining council in 2015. Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 24:36 · (Pt 3/5) 2026 City Council Candidates Forum on Arts and Culture (Boulder County Arts Alliance, YouTube) |
| Jameson Goldstein | I would say that artists are a lot more important than businessmen because they create the culture that businessmen operate within. Speaker identified from speaking order; the moderator did not name them. Transcript note: Third of drawn names (Winer, Jamieson, Goldstein, Martus, Segal). Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 16:34 · (Pt 3/5) 2026 City Council Candidates Forum on Arts and Culture (Boulder County Arts Alliance, YouTube) |
| Fred Smith | if we build it tomorrow, it'd be the cheapest time to build it. Speaker identified from speaking order; the moderator did not name them. Transcript note: Sixth of drawn names; Pt 4 opens with this speaker. Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 0:28 · (Pt 4/5) 2026 City Council Candidates Forum on Arts and Culture (Boulder County Arts Alliance, YouTube) |
| Aquiles La Grave | I really do believe that the art holds the key for our economic recovery Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 23:21 · (Pt 3/5) 2026 City Council Candidates Forum on Arts and Culture (Boulder County Arts Alliance, YouTube) |
| Sam Fuqua | another thing I will prioritize in addition to these common themes is access to the arts for everybody. Speaker identified from speaking order; the moderator did not name them. Transcript note: Fifth of last seven drawn names; speaker cites managing a children's arts nonprofit. Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 30:56 · (Pt 3/5) 2026 City Council Candidates Forum on Arts and Culture (Boulder County Arts Alliance, YouTube) |
| Jamillah Richmond | It is important that as we look forward, that we think about creating funding and supporting funding for the arts Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 27:38 · (Pt 3/5) 2026 City Council Candidates Forum on Arts and Culture (Boulder County Arts Alliance, YouTube) |
| Benita Duran | We need an implementation plan that relates to arts and cultural investment Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 20:04 · (Pt 3/5) 2026 City Council Candidates Forum on Arts and Culture (Boulder County Arts Alliance, YouTube) |
| Tara Winer | So I want us to remain relevant and dynamic and reduce red tape Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 14:35 · (Pt 3/5) 2026 City Council Candidates Forum on Arts and Culture (Boulder County Arts Alliance, YouTube) |
| Rachel Rose Isaacson | the average income from being an artist in Boulder is under $19,000. Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 28:21 · (Pt 3/5) 2026 City Council Candidates Forum on Arts and Culture (Boulder County Arts Alliance, YouTube) |
| Dave Martus | fiscal transparency and good stewardship of capital. And why is that important to the arts? Because through that, I think we can make the pie bigger. Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 17:35 · (Pt 3/5) 2026 City Council Candidates Forum on Arts and Culture (Boulder County Arts Alliance, YouTube) |
| Scott Rendleman | Art funding should be transparent so that we can tell our community members when we spend on art funding that it was worthwhile and enriched the community. Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 26:39 · (Pt 3/5) 2026 City Council Candidates Forum on Arts and Culture (Boulder County Arts Alliance, YouTube) |
| Ryan Jamieson | We say that we value the arts, but we make it hard to open up a gallery. Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 15:30 · (Pt 3/5) 2026 City Council Candidates Forum on Arts and Culture (Boulder County Arts Alliance, YouTube) |
| Lynn Segal | Every development that goes on here just increases the wealth disparity Speaker identified from speaking order; the moderator did not name them. Transcript note: Fifth of drawn names. Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 18:49 · (Pt 3/5) 2026 City Council Candidates Forum on Arts and Culture (Boulder County Arts Alliance, YouTube) |
| Tina Marquis | If I'm reelected, I hope to continue to focus on how we prioritize funding Speaker identified from speaking order; the moderator did not name them. Transcript note: Third of drawn names (Duran, Jacobs, Marquis, La Grave, Brockett). Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 22:34 · (Pt 3/5) 2026 City Council Candidates Forum on Arts and Culture (Boulder County Arts Alliance, YouTube) |
If a candidate isn't listed, we didn't quote them on this question. They may have been absent or not called on.