By Emma Winkelbauer

The University of Colorado Boulder is partnering with the Sundance Institute for their festival’s move to Boulder in 2027. After more than 40 years in Park City, Utah, the Sundance Film Festival will make Boulder its new home and will give CU students the opportunity to interact with film industry insiders. 

Erin Espelie, a CU Boulder Cinema Studies and Moving Art Images professor, says that the festival could provide students with potential jobs and internships. 

“I’m hoping that students who really want to go into the media film industry or want to become artists themselves, that they’ll have direct connections that they wouldn’t otherwise have,” Espelie said. 

According to festival officials, the event is moving from Park City to Boulder because of the need for more space. About 85,500 people attended the Sundance Film Festival last year. With that number in mind, Boulder is preparing for large crowds.  

According to the Sundance Film Festival Economic Report, the festival contributed more than $196 million to Utah’s economy last year, including more than 2,600 jobs.

Laurids Sonne, a CU Boulder documentary media artist and professor, is concerned about the festival’s potential negative impact on local art programs.   

“Sundance came to Boulder because they got financial support from the state of Colorado,” Sonne said. “So that possibly takes away funding from other cultural initiatives that are year-round and are not so focused on spectacle.”   

Boulder is also prepared to provide housing for Sundance Film Festival attendees.   

Last September, the Boulder City Council approved short-term rental licenses specifically for the festival. The Boulder Festival Lodging Program permits Boulder residents to apply for a Festival Lodging Rental License, allowing them to temporarily rent their homes during the festival period.  

“I do have some concerns about the short-term rental license,” said council member Tina Marquis. “I would want to make sure that we have the guard rails in place so that the short-term rental license doesn’t make it more likely for people to buy second homes or investment properties in Boulder.” 

To accommodate more visitors, the city recently opened two new hotels across the street from campus: Moxy and The Limelight. Combined, the two hotels have around 440 rooms. Nearby, the St. Julien Hotel has about 200 rooms and the Hotel Boulderado has about 160.   

“Boulder is going to change,” Espelie said. 

Edited by Avery Kinnison