University of Colorado Boulder Prepares for Sundance Film Festival's Move

As Park City, Utah bids farewell to the iconic festival, Colorado's college town readies for new opportunities.

Feb. 1, 2026 at 11:31pm

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After more than 40 years in Park City, the Sundance Film Festival is moving to Boulder, Colorado. University of Colorado Boulder professors and officials are already planning ways to integrate the festival into the campus and provide students with unique opportunities, such as volunteering and bringing in filmmakers as guest speakers. Locals in Park City are reminiscing about the festival's long history in Utah, while the Colorado community looks forward to welcoming the event and the economic and educational benefits it will bring.

Why it matters

The Sundance Film Festival's move to Boulder represents a significant shift in the event's long-standing relationship with Utah. This transition offers the University of Colorado Boulder a chance to provide its students with invaluable hands-on experience and exposure to the film industry, potentially leading to new academic and career paths. For the Boulder community, hosting Sundance could bring economic growth and heightened visibility on the national stage.

The details

After more than four decades in Park City, Utah, the Sundance Film Festival will make its premiere in Boulder, Colorado starting in 2027. University of Colorado Boulder journalism professor Ross Taylor is already planning ways to integrate the festival into the campus, including opportunities for students to volunteer and interact with visiting filmmakers, directors, and cinematographers. The Colorado community is eager to welcome the festival and the economic and educational benefits it will bring.

  • The Sundance Film Festival will hold its final year in Park City, Utah in 2026.
  • The festival will make its debut in Boulder, Colorado in 2027.

The players

John Nein

Sundance Senior Programmer and Director of Strategy, who said they are already getting ready for the festival's move to Boulder.

Ross Taylor

A journalism professor at the University of Colorado Boulder, who plans to bring Sundance-related opportunities to his students, such as volunteering and interacting with visiting filmmakers.

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What they’re saying

“When we approached what the festival would look like in Boulder, there are things that are important to us. And one of those things, and this is something that is so much a part of this festival, is that people walk up and down the street. There's, it's a play, it's a feeling of community.”

— John Nein, Sundance Senior Programmer and Director of Strategy (CBS News)

“It's one thing to see it from afar or to think about it in a distance, but when you're here on the ground, and you see it in person, you just think, 'Gosh, there's so many possibilities for all of us.'”

— Ross Taylor, Journalism Professor, University of Colorado Boulder (CBS News)

What’s next

The University of Colorado Boulder is already planning ways to integrate the Sundance Film Festival into the campus and provide students with hands-on opportunities when the event moves to Boulder in 2027.

The takeaway

The Sundance Film Festival's relocation to Boulder, Colorado represents an exciting new chapter for the iconic event, offering the University of Colorado Boulder and its students unique educational and career-building experiences in the film industry. This transition also holds the potential to drive economic growth and heighten the national profile of the Boulder community.