CU Boulder Opens Call for Sundance-Tied Class Projects and Campus Events: Oct. 1 and Nov. 9 Deadlines
QUICK ANSWER
Confirmed: CU Boulder is asking faculty, staff, recognized student organizations, and social Greek organizations to submit ideas for academic, creative, and experiential programming tied to the Sundance Institute’s arrival on campus, part of what the university calls a year of engagement that extends beyond the festival itself. Ideas for fall semester activities are due October 1, 2026, and ideas for spring semester activities are due November 9, 2026. A campus review committee vets submissions before connecting approved ones with Sundance Institute staff.
Last verified: September 29, 2026
What CU Boulder is asking for
| Detail | Status |
|---|---|
| Fall semester proposal deadline: October 1, 2026 | Confirmed |
| Spring semester proposal deadline: November 9, 2026 | Confirmed |
| Eligible submitters: faculty, staff, recognized student organizations, recognized social Greek organizations | Confirmed |
| Funding for approved ideas must come from the submitter’s own department, program, or organization | Confirmed |
| Sundance Institute staff participation per approved proposal: typically one to four gatherings | Confirmed |
CU Boulder, the festival’s official university partner, published the call on September 17, 2026, through CU Boulder Today. Ideas can include classroom visits from Sundance Institute staff, research and creative work events, programming run by a recognized student or Greek organization, campus symposiums or panels, and early planning meetings for bigger collaborations such as exhibits or capstone projects. Proposals are not limited to film or media disciplines, but the university says each one must show a clear connection to the Sundance Institute and its mission. Submissions go through an online form, and a committee led by the university’s Public and Community Engaged Scholarship office, with faculty, staff, and students as members, reviews and recommends proposals before Institute staff get involved. Ann Schmiesing, senior vice chancellor for strategic initiatives, is the committee’s executive sponsor, and Kim Kruchen, director of business strategy, is handling project management and fielding questions. The university is explicit that people should not contact Sundance Institute directly to request participation, since the review committee makes that connection only for approved ideas, and it notes the Institute may have limited capacity for fall activities as it relocates operations to Boulder. Information about Maymester and summer session engagement is expected in the spring semester.
Why it matters
This is a different track than the confirmed partnership terms and the volunteer and internship programs already in place. It is an open door for any CU department, lab, or student group, not just film studies, to build something around the festival’s arrival, which is worth watching if you are a CU-affiliated visitor or a local wondering what campus programming might exist alongside official screenings. It builds on what we covered in CU Boulder’s official university partner announcement and in CU Boulder’s student volunteer and internship programs, and it sits alongside the university’s existing class built around running a film festival as another way the campus is engaging beyond ticketed screenings.
What we’re watching
We will update this post once the university announces which proposals were approved, and again if a submission window opens for Maymester or Summer Session activities as promised for spring.
