From the get-go, Leon Gallery was conceived as a showplace where artists could thrive and show their most experimental work, unsullied by the constrictive forces of the commercial art world, even if Leon was technically a commercial gallery. Now owners Eric Dallimore and Eric Nord have carried that commitment further by going nonprofit, a rarity in any art scene, and a trusting model that essentially turns the space over to an exhibiting artist for a given period of time. You might not always see the most polished work there, but it's certain that you'll see some of the most ambitious, created by artists whose imaginations have been set free from financial restrictions.

Just as artists have been doing for decades, three art venues came together last year to form the innovative 1412 Collective and share the old Mike Wright space in LoDo. While Abend Gallery and Gallery 1261 both tilt toward traditional art, K Contemporary has been hosting some of the hottest shows in town. Artist Doug Kacena is the force behind the new space, and with K Contemporary, he's shown himself to be an able curator who's already assembled a formidable stable of high-profile Colorado artists, including Monique Crine, Michael Dowling, Kevin Sloan, Suchitra Mattai, Karen Roehl, Scott Young and Mario Zoots.

The first thing you notice when you walk into Le Méridien hotel downtown is the stunning work by artist Jonathan Saiz called "Marie." It includes 1,100 tiny portraits of Marie Antoinette, all situated to form the silhouette of a mountain peak. It's just one example of the 1,700-plus pieces of art found throughout the property, and guests can go on a self-guided art tour of the ground floor to check out paintings by artists Laura Guese, Mia Mulvey and many more. Head up to 54Thirty, Le Méridien's rooftop bar, and catch even more works along the way, including Ramon Bonilla's "Netherworld: The Front Range." If you're lucky enough to be staying here, you can also peruse the original art in the guest rooms and hallways.

Forget stale popcorn and Junior Mints. Greasy hands down, Alamo Drafthouse Sloan's Lake has the best food of any movie theater in metro Denver. Start simple with popcorn (not stale), which can be doused in herb parmesan, truffle parmesan butter or clarified butter; move on to appetizers like Buffalo cauliflower or edamame hummus; then keep going to entrees of pizza, salads, burgers and more. You can finish up your meal with a freshly baked chocolate chip cookie or an adult milkshake or other alcoholic beverage. And that's just during the movie! After the final reel, enjoy a nightcap or three in Barfly, the Alamo's excellent bar that's worth a visit all its own.

Readers' Choice: Alamo Drafthouse

Ooh la la! Bistro Vendôme, the charming French restaurant in a courtyard off Larimer Square, introduced a tasty treat last year: Monday Movie Night. Twice a month, the restaurant hosts a special screening of classic food, French or French food movies paired with a three-course, prix fixe menu created by Bistro Vendôme's culinary team. The cinematic offerings have ranged from Sabrina to La La Land; Babette's Feast is one of April's offerings. The intimate atmosphere is ideally suited for movie-watching, but the exquisite food is the reel draw.

Luxury movie theaters are becoming status quo — which means the competition for most comfortable theater gets steeper each year. After all, multiplexes have to take on the fiercest competition: living rooms. AMC movie theaters in particular have taken up the challenge of re-creating that coziness, and nowhere is this more true than at AMC Bowles Crossing, where the seats, which you pick out yourself, are more comforting than a baby blanket. Drink, eat and be merry — and, most important, kick up your feet and recline, just as you would back home. But don't fall asleep: That would defeat the purpose of leaving your living room.

Readers' Choice: Alamo Drafthouse

The Sie, backed by the movie-loving Denver Film Society, has never wanted for good programming, at least not on the small and artful level, but this year, things are changing in a big way. Sie programmer Keith Garcia, who recently returned to the theater after leaving in 2014 for other pursuits, now has the ability to program higher-profile mainstream films around a continuing slate of festivals, series and select indie and art-house fare. Garcia says his job is to decide what's appropriate for the Sie's faithful fan base on all levels, which allows for more varied programming that will bring in new faces and continue to satisfy the old ones. It's the best of both worlds!

Readers' Choice: Landmark Mayan Theatre

If you're a major nonprofit or a corporation, it's possible to book compelling movies. But what is a DIY microcinema programmer working on a shoestring budget supposed to do? In Denver, Adán de la Garza, curator of Collective Misnomer (his title is a misnomer, because he's the sole brains behind the operation), manages to offer a challenging mix of short films and experimental documentaries, and even hosts traveling filmmakers at a variety of spots, including the Dikeou Pop-Up, the Sie FilmCenter and the Alamo Drafthouse Sloan's Lake — all with money he brings in from the door and donates himself. He does this with his ethics intact, by ensuring that his filmmakers get a cut of the door.

collectivemisnomer.com

When it comes to putting on a stunning festival, it's hard to beat the Denver Film Society's annual Denver Film Festival, which offers up nearly two weeks of programming each year, including blockbuster independent films, documentaries and a handful of experimental works and animation. In addition to movies galore, the festival also gives Denverites the opportunity to hobnob with actors, directors and producers on the red carpet and in theaters and bars. The fest just turned forty, and we can't wait to see what the next four decades bring.

Readers' Choice: Denver Film Festival

denverfilmfestival.denverfilm.org

In the social-media world of inspirational-quote memes and viral feel-good videos, it can be hard to find authentic voices. Fortunately, Denver has Lady Speech. The poet, performer, tarot reader, intuitive, spellcaster and Westword MasterMind takes to Facebook several times a week to share her thoughts on the current state of the world, centering feminism, blackness and mental and physical well-being through her mini-orations. Sometimes she shares her wisdom with brief status updates; other times, this life guide will post stream-of-consciousness videos. If her Facebook briefs have you energized, the witch-of-all-trades also conducts private tarot readings, teaches ceremonial healing for trauma survivors and is even an ordained minister. Tune in to the Lady Speech spiritual network on Facebook to be enlightened and energized, but be forewarned: This queen is passionate with her words, and some of her mini-sermons are NSFW.

facebook.com/LadySpeechSankofa