Sundance Institute and University of Colorado Boulder Deepen Partnership Ahead of Festival’s Boulder Debut

New agreement expands academic, volunteer, and internship opportunities for CU Boulder students and establishes community engagement commitments as the Sundance Film Festival prepares to open its first chapter in Boulder, Colorado, January 21–31, 2027

BOULDER, Colo., [August 18, 2026] — Today the nonprofit Sundance Instituteand the University of Colorado Boulder (CU Boulder) announced an agreement that…

Published: August 18, 2026
Updated: August 18, 2026
9:35 am
By: Creators Faire Editorial

BOULDER, Colo., [August 18, 2026] — Today the nonprofit Sundance Instituteand the University of Colorado Boulder (CU Boulder) announced an agreement that deepens their partnership as the two organizations prepare to welcome the Sundance Film Festival to its new home. Building on the Festival partnership, the terms establish a broad slate of year-round academic, student, and community engagement commitments.

The agreement reflects a shared belief that the Festival is more than a public event: It is an opportunity for CU Boulder students to engage directly with independent storytelling and learn about the industry on their own campus. The Institute will plan cocurricular activities with the University, a tiered volunteer program, discounted and free screenings, and a sustainability research collaboration, as well as a new internship pilot program and civic and community engagement highlights, among other programs.

The partnership is expected to bring Sundance Institute representatives to campus for a number of academic and cocurricular events between July 2026 and June 2027, including classroom visits, first-year courses, capstone projects, research events, student organization programs, and campus symposiums.

Students will receive discounted Festival tickets, free on-campus screenings, and student-only conversations with filmmakers and Festival participants. At least 100 CU Boulder students will have opportunities to volunteer during the Festival, while at least 30 students will serve on a Student Advisory Board that will help shape the campus Festival experience.

The partnership also aims to launch a pilot internship program for at least eight students and provide opportunities for qualifying student journalists to receive Festival press credentials.

Beyond the Festival, the collaboration will create new opportunities for interdisciplinary research. Sundance Institute will support students in CU Boulder’s Masters of the Environment program as they develop a framework for measuring greenhouse gas emissions associated with the Festival, advancing sustainable event practices through applied research.

“Great universities do more than simply prepare students for the future. They connect them to the people, ideas, and experiences that shape it. Our partnership with the Sundance Film Festival makes those connections possible,” said CU Boulder Chancellor Justin Schwartz.“Bringing the Festival to CU Boulder will transform our campus into a place where learning, creativity, and cultural exchange happen side by side while strengthening Boulder’s role as a destination for bold ideas and artistic innovation.”

“CU Boulder and the Sundance Film Festival share values that embrace innovation, creative expression, and the universal power of storytelling,” said Eugene Hernandez, Director, Sundance Film Festival and Public Programming. “We’re excited to engage with students, faculty, and staff on campus, during the Festival, and well beyond, as we integrate these shared values and new perspectives within the academic and cultural experience of the university.

About the University of Colorado Boulder

The University of Colorado Boulder is a leading public research university and the flagship campus of the University of Colorado system. Home to world-class programs in the sciences, arts, and humanities, CU Boulder is committed to educational excellence and expanding opportunity for its students, faculty, and the Boulder community. As host of the Sundance Film Festival’s new Colorado home beginning in January 2027, CU Boulder looks forward to welcoming filmmakers, artists, and audiences from around the world to its campus.

About Sundance Institute

As a champion and curator of independent stories, the nonprofit Sundance Institute provides and preserves the space for artists across storytelling media to create and thrive. Founded in 1981 by Robert Redford, the Institute’s signature labs, granting, and mentorship programs, dedicated to developing new work, take place throughout the year in the U.S. and internationally. Sundance Collab, a digital community platform, brings a global cohort of working artists together to learn from Sundance Institute advisors and connect with each other in a creative space, developing and sharing works in progress. The Sundance Film Festival and other public programs connect audiences and artists to ignite new ideas, discover original voices, and build a community dedicated to independent storytelling. Through the Sundance Institute artist programs, we have supported such projects as Beasts of the Southern Wild, The Big Sick, Bottle Rocket, Boys Don’t Cry, Boys State, Call Me by Your Name, Clemency, CODA, Dìdi (弟弟), Drunktown’s Finest, The Farewell, Fire of Love, Flee, Fruitvale Station, Half Nelson, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Hereditary, The Infiltrators, The Last Black Man in San Francisco, Little Woods, Love & Basketball, Me and You and Everyone We Know, Mudbound, Nanny, One Child Nation, Pariah, Raising Victor Vargas, RBG, Requiem for a Dream, Reservoir Dogs, Sin Nombre, Sorry to Bother You, Strong Island, Summer of Soul (…Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised), Swiss Army Man, A Thousand and One, Top of the Lake, Won’t You Be My Neighbor?, and Zola.Through year-round artist programs, the Institute also nurtured the early careers of such artists as Paul Thomas Anderson, Gregg Araki, Darren Aronofsky, Lisa Cholodenko, Nia DaCosta, Ryan Coogler, The Daniels, Robert Eggers, Rick Famuyiwa, David Gordon Green, Sterlin Harjo, Marielle Heller, Miranda July, Nikyatu Jusu, James Mangold, John Cameron Mitchell, Kimberly Peirce, Gina Prince-Bythewood, Boots Riley, A.V. Rockwell, Ira Sachs, Walter Salles, Quentin Tarantino, Erica Tremblay, Taika Waititi, Lulu Wang, and Chloé Zhao. Support Sundance Institute in our commitment to uplifting bold artists and powerful storytelling globally by making a donation at sundance.org/donate. Join Sundance Institute on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, X, and Bluesky.