The Sundance History
In 1969, Robert Redford bought the land now known as Sundance and envisioned the careful growth of a community committed to the balance of art, nature and community.
In 1969, Robert Redford bought the land now known as Sundance and envisioned the careful growth of a community committed to the balance of art, nature and community.
"Sundance is an arts community, a recreational community, a community of people who appreciate the beauty of nature and feel the responsibility to preserve it."
Today, Sundance offers an atmosphere steeped in cultural heritage. Inspired by the Ute tribes that first inhabited this canyon and continuing through the early 20th century as the Stewarts, a family of Scottish immigrants homesteaded the area. The second generation of Stewarts developed the mountain into a small ski resort called Timp Haven.
Investors began eyeing the picturesque locale as a place to erect expansive condominiums, but Redford wanted "to develop a little and preserve a great deal." Rejecting advice from New York investors to fill the canyon with an explosion of lucrative hotels and condominiums, Redford saw his newly acquired land as an ideal locale for environmental conservation and artistic experimentation.
In 1981, the Sundance Institute was founded here at Sundance Mountain Resort, followed by the Sundance Catalog in 1988. Many writers, directors, actors and artists have been inspired by the beauty of this canyon. Years of experimentation and refinement have ultimately resulted in what we now call Sundance. It's Sundance's ability to blend process and place that makes it dynamically unique and places it on uncharted waters on a steady course all of its own.
People here come from all walks of life, but one belief is shared: our community should represent who we are and what we believe. Sundance is an arts community, a recreational community, a community of people who appreciate the beauty of nature and feel the responsibility to preserve it. We want to help you find those elements of the Sundance experience which will most meet your needs and your dreams. As you'll see, Sundance has many shapes, many moods, and many possibilities. Somewhere in our community awaits an experience which belongs to you and we are committed to helping you find it.
Continuing the legacy of our founder Robert Redford, our vision is to create an unspoiled and authentic experience in this intimate mountain resort where art, nature, and commerce unite to inspire and develop people, voices, and ideas.
To provide transformational experiences and genuine service executed passionately.
Sundance, the place, has given birth to a variety of powerful businesses all sharing the same core philosophy.
Born of independent thought and creative execution, today the Sundance name represents innovation and change in all its manifestations. From the Sundance Preserve, Sundance Institute, Sundance Resort, Sundance Channel to the Sundance Catalog, the Sundance ventures touch millions of people every day.
