BRECKENRIDGE — Effective Dec. 31, local nonprofits Breckenridge Creative Arts and Breckenridge Music will merge into one organization. A new board with equal BreckCreate and Breck Music members will be formed while Breckenridge Creative Arts and Breckenridge Music will retain their names, with Breck Music becoming a division of BreckCreate.

According to a news release, the merger allows them to pool resources as they continue to provided the same artistic services — such as the Breckenridge International Festival of Arts and Breckenridge Music Festival — as before.

Incoming BreckCreate President and CEO Matthew Neufeld will join the group in January 2020. Tamara Park, currently the executive director of Breck Music, will continue her leadership of Breck Music and assume a broadened role as a senior leader in BreckCreate.  

“Both organizations offer so much to Breckenridge and have unique strengths, while their goals align,” Summit County Commissioner Elisabeth Lawrence said in the release. “They have partnered on numerous arts projects in recent years, so it just makes sense to combine talents as one organization. It will eliminate duplication of effort and focus resources on programs and community interests.”

Lawrence is a current member of the Breck Music board and past town council liaison to BreckCreate.

“We are pleased that (BreckCreate) and Breck Music have decided to combine operations,” council member Gary Gallagher said in the release. “It is not only in their collective interest but also in the interest of the town of Breckenridge. The town would like to see more year-round quality programming for residents and guests, which means more activity in the Riverwalk Center and Arts District campus. We believe this move will support those priorities.”