Good Neighbors

The 2013 Biennial of the Americas is finally here, one year late and ready to blow through Denver in four short days with a kaleidoscopic concentration of programming both political and cultural. BotA will kick off with a couple of high-profile events tonight: “Unleashing Human Potential: Reinventing Communities, Business, and...

By Susan Froyd

July 11, 2013

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The 2013 Biennial of the Americas is finally here, one year late and ready to blow through Denver in four short days with a kaleidoscopic concentration of programming both political and cultural. BotA will kick off with a couple of high-profile events tonight: “Unleashing Human Potential: Reinventing Communities, Business, and Education,” moderated by media celeb Tina Brown (5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Buell Theatre, and the first of four public symposia scheduled); and the opening reception for Draft Urbanism, the biennial’s citywide series of public-art installations that includes large works throughout downtown Denver, a major show of work by Colorado artists at the McNichols Building, and art billboards across the city. The curators and an international roster of participating artists will be present for tonight’s program, which begins at 7:30 p.m.

Along with these cornerstone elements of discussion and expression, the Biennial, which continues through July 19, will serve up nightly free public events that celebrate diversity and culture and just plain having fun as a global community, to be celebrated in a variety of ways: A Canada Night block party kicks off at Sustainability Park (aka SPark), 2500 Arapahoe Street, tomorrow at 7 p.m., with food and music and the exhibit Imagined Realities; La Noche de Mexico extends the hemispheric fun south of the border at 6:30 p.m. Thursday in Civic Center Park, 14th Avenue and Bannock Street, with traditional performances and an al fresco screening of the film Under the Same Moon; and on Friday, the Biennial culminates back in Civic Center Park with Denver Night: Music for Animals, a multi-arts event curated by Chris Kallmeyer and MCA’s Adam Lerner that includes, among other things, a dog opera, the Colorado Symphony Orchestra, the Fray and HEARD/DAM, an eye-popping spectacle featuring artist Nick Cave’s life-sized horse Soundsuits.

Tickets for symposia are $15 to $25; all other events are free. For a complete schedule, reservations and details, go to biennialoftheamericas.org.
July 16-19, 2013

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Susan Froyd started writing for Westword as the "Thrills" editor in 1992 and never quite left the fold. These days she still freelances for the paper in addition to walking her dogs, enjoying cheap ethnic food and reading voraciously. Sometimes she writes poetry.

Contact: Susan Froyd

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