Setting the Stage with Strategic Storytelling & Project Management

Content Development

Our Challenge

Founded in 1932, Central City Opera (CCO) is the fifth-oldest professional opera company in the country and is renowned for world-class productions, a robust artist training program, creative educational activities and community engagement. Each summer, thousands of patrons travel to the historic mountain town of Central City, Colorado to experience the nonprofit’s annual opera festival.

During the festival, guests are greeted with a comprehensive program book, which serves as both an audience guide for each production and a storytelling tool for the organization. Producing the 100-page program book requires coordinating content from numerous internal departments, artists, production staff and external partners, all within a tight production timeline. As a nonprofit with a small staff that’s already balancing the demands of festival season, CCO requires additional project management and editorial support to ensure the program book is completed on time, maintains a consistent voice and accurately reflects the depth and impact of the organization.

Our Solution

Since 2025, CCO has engaged Barefoot PR to serve as an extension of its small internal team, providing project management and content development support for the annual festival program book. After an initial listening and learning phase to align on the organization’s strategic priorities, Barefoot sets the stage with a detailed project timeline and program outline. Then, we get to work on developing original content—interviewing CCO stakeholders, training artists and production staff for a variety of feature stories that highlight CCO programs, historic preservation efforts and behind-the-scenes insights. Throughout the process, we serve as a central coordinator between staff and creative partners, managing reviews, approvals and ensuring a consistent style and voice throughout the program. The result is a polished publication that informs, inspires and deepens audience connection before the curtain rises.