Venues Denver

Five Points Jazz on Film presents The Girls in the Band, a look at unheralded musicians

The annual Five Points Jazz Festival is Saturday, May 18, and to kick it off, the city is offering a special screening of the 2011 documentary The Girls In the Band at the McNichols Building tomorrow night. The film traces the history of female jazz musicians who were marginalized and often hidden f ... More >>

Before I Die creator Candy Chang visits the Denver version of her piece

Before I Die, an art installation that encourages people to create a communal bucket list, has been standing in the northwest corner of Civic Center Park since January -- and yesterday, Candy Chang, its creator, came for a visit. The New Orleans artist first conceived of Before I Die after she lo ... More >>

Macklemore's You Can Play anti-homophobic PSA filmed at Winter on the Rocks at Red Rocks

If you've heard the considerably poignant "Same Love," then you know exactly what Macklemore's stance on same sex relationships is. But just in case there was even the slightest bit of ambiguity, the Seattle rapper (aka Ben Haggerty), who's slated to make his debut on Saturday Night Live this weeken ... More >>

An Artistic Bucket List

Urban Arts Fund discussion/reception tonight -- and it's free!

Get to the art of the matter tonight, at a free panel discussion -- complete with refreshments and a DJ -- in support of the Urban Arts Fund. This graffiti-prevention program of Arts & Venues Denver produces unique opportunities for young people to participate in diversionary art and leadership prog ... More >>

Works in progress: Behind the scenes at the revived McNichols in Civic Center Park

At 11 a.m. today, a small group of dignitaries led by Mayor Michael Hancock will gather at the McNichols Building at the edge of Denver's Civic Center (just named a national landmark) to cut the ribbon on the classical structure's new lease on life. Built in 1910 as a Carnegie Library, the open, spa ... More >>

McNichols Building, a former Carnegie library, opens a new chapter

The McNichols Building, which will be launched this morning as a cultural and event space, got its start as a Carnegie Library -- the biggest one in Colorado. But it was far from the only one. Over two decades at the turn of the last century, the Carnegie Corporation of New York awarded almost $750, ... More >>

Let There Be Light

2012 Mayor's Awards for Excellence in the Arts announced

Mayor Michael Hancock, Arts & Venues Denver and the Denver Commission on Cultural Affairs just announced the 2012 recipients of the Mayor's Award for Excellence in the Arts: Denver's Art District on Santa Fe, Denver Ballet Guild and Emmanuel Gallery. The awards will be presented at a free, public c ... More >>

After Hours

Now Showing: A Westword guide to the arts in Denver

DU isn't all about presidential debate and politics: School gets straight to the art

The University of Denver isn't all about political debates. The Lamont School of Music is offering 250 free concerts this year, for example. And in Now Showing, Westword's fall arts guide, DU arts administrators gave particularly intriguing answers to questions about the city's cultural scene.

Six ways the Big Blue Bear could make over his image

Since 2005, "I See What You Mean," arguably Denver's most beloved piece of public art, has been photographed, imitated and miniaturized. The sculpture outside of the Colorado Convention Center, nicknamed the Big Blue Bear, has been laughed at, loved, lingered over, tagged with a yarn-made ball and c ... More >>

"Virga: The Sound Performance" is coming to a bridge near you

Arts & Venues Denver will premier a new art performance piece at the Delgany Pedestrian Bridge near the Museum of Contemporary Art Denver this evening.

Urban Experience

WESTAF introduces Independent Music on Tour, a grant program for local musicians

Just over a year ago, you might remember we posted a bit about the Western States Arts Federation's (WESTAF) TourWest program. We misunderstood the impetus of the program and mistakenly noted that the funds were earmarked specifically for helping local musicians finance their tour endeavors. While w ... More >>

Denver Coliseum's sixtieth anniversary tied to National Western Stock Show

The Denver Coliseum was dedicated sixty years ago today, at a celebration dubbed "Salute to Soil." Today, the onetime showplace has become the poor relative of Denver's venues. Poor in amenities, perhaps, but rich in history.

Fashion Forum at Crossroads tonight

​Another clothes call! Arts & Venues Denver will host a fashion forum tonight for local fashion/accessory and jewelry designers, which it describes this way: "This is a forum to LISTEN & HEAR from YOU! We want to know from you as designers what will be the best for this creative community." ... More >>

DIA Art Master Plan calls for performances' return... and what about Blue Mustang's eyes?

​Although the fancy architect is gone and the ownership of Santiago Calatrava's DIA expansion design is still up in the air, plans for construction of the South Terminal, including a light-rail station and a public plaza, are moving forward. That means Denver could soon commission another $3 m ... More >>

Night Crawlers

Reader: Scary airport artwork won't fly!

​Love "Mustang," the blue horse that stands guard outside of Denver International Airport? Loathe it? Tell DIA officials all about it tonight, when the airport and Arts & Venues Denver host a DIA Art Master Plan town-hall meeting at Crossroads Theater, 2590 Washington Street, from 5 to 7 p.m.

Just say neigh! Town hall on airport art master plan tomorrow

"Mustang," by Luis Jimenez​Quit horsing around! It's time to come clean about how you feel about the public art at Denver International Airport, a collection that includes everything from Gary Sweeney's beloved "America, Why I Love Her" to the loved, and loathed, "Mustang," aka Blucifer, the ... More >>

Blue Mustang is DIA's most famous artwork, but there are other pieces to love... or hate

​"Mustang," Luis Jimenez's killer horse at Denver International Airport, just placed third in a recent survey of the country's most bizarre public art. But it definitely ranks first in the hearts and minds of Denver residents, who either really love or really, really hate the sculpture.

Wonder what a ninety-piece marching band sounds like Playing Apart? Wonder no more.

​Um, yeah, so this sounds positively awesome. There's an event planned for Saturday, October 29 dubbed "Playing Apart," in which an entire ninety-piece marching band from Bear Creek High School is going to be spread out through downtown playing their individual parts in separate parts of the ... More >>

Phil Bender among the winners of the Mayor's Award for Excellence

Seems like just yesterday -- February, actually -- when the last round of the Mayor's Award for Excellence in the Arts, with the winners for 2010, was announced. But 2011 will see another group of honorees, because the next awards presentation has been moved up to November 3, the start of Denver Ar ... More >>

Doing it in public: Art show openings today at two downtown venues

Two very public downtown places will introduce new art exhibits today, and both are inviting the public to join in the party. The Alfred A. Arraj Courthouse at 901 19th Street is hosting the work of three contemporary Colorado artists -- Gifford Ewing, John Boak and Rick Dula -- in a show put toget ... More >>

DIA hosts Design by Colorado, so why not have a Colorado architect design airport expansion?

Mountain Mirage.​Now that the scaffolding that masked Mountain Mirage is gone, and the defective fountain that was supposed to create a silhouette of the Rockies but instead leaked down into the trains has been removed and replaced by open space, you can see the bones of the Jeppeson Terminal ... More >>

Microsoft rumors update: Janet Jackson and Usher at Red Rocks on Friday? Not so much.

​Update (07/22/11): So here's the very latest word that we've heard. After Arts & Venues Denver spokesperson Kristin Rust debunked the rumors earlier this week that Janet Jackson, Usher and Red Hot Chili Peppers would be performing at Red Rocks tonight, there's word that Christina Aguilera and ... More >>

Arts & Venues Denver merger not a hit with critics

​Michael Hancock hasn't yet taken office as mayor of Denver. That's on tap for later today. But Hancock's already being pressured by some arts advocates to take another look at the recent merger of the Denver Office of Cultural Affairs and the Division of Theatres & Arenas into Arts & Venues ... More >>

Comment of the day: "The three books are well written"

​In case the Oprah Book Club and Barnes & Noble's reading recommendations weren't enough to get you to read generic best-sellers, the One Book, One Denver program is here to help: Once again, Arts and Venues Denver's nominations for the contest that determines what all Denver shall read ignore ... More >>

Rocky Flats critics on a collision course with Boulder County... and the Jefferson Parkway

​Pardon our dust! Boulder County has signed off on a controversial deal that brings the proposed Jefferson Parkway closer to concrete reality. And that worries LeRoy Moore -- because the deal involves buying a corner of land right by Rocky Flats.

Arts & Venues Denver: The city's artful merger of culture and concrete

​In cash-strapped times, governments have to think creatively -- and it was the budget crunch that led to the idea of merging the Denver Office of Cultural Affairs with the Division of Theatres and Arenas, itself a subset of the Department of General Services. That marriage becomes official to ... More >>