"We wanted to bring art into the neighborhoods that had lost it because we were worried that Denver was kicking too much art out," says co-director Brett Matarazzo. "I’m not necessarily pointing fingers at anyone, but the system doesn't put enough value on art and spaces that are affordable for that kind of stuff. That's where the real march for accessible contemporary art started. We wanted to make sure everybody's invited, show great Denver artists as the main focus, and honor the history of the Northside neighborhood."
Despite its passionate mission, BRDG will leave its current location at 3300 Tejon Street in the new year. Matarazzo attributes the closure to the systemic challenges that small arts organizations face in a city.
"We’re at a precipice of something bad happening to the arts in Colorado, and we need change," says BRDG Project co-director Brett Matarazzo.
Courtesy of Brett Matarazzo and Amy Norton
"We started a space during a difficult time for arts nonprofits," he admits. "It's been obvious that, even though we've worked hard and lots of people supported us with small donations, we weren't getting big money from individual foundational donors. During COVID, many galleries had banner years, but since then, work has dried up. On top of that, rents and mortgages skyrocketed, resulting in the main reason BRDG failed: We couldn't pay anyone, and people couldn't give their time as freely as they did before."
For him, the failure is not personal, but rather symptomatic of a larger issue: the declining prioritization of art and culture in a city characterized by rising costs and urban development that puts developers ahead of local businesses.
"We had a great community, don't get me wrong, and so many people donated their time and helped us, but that’s also a problem: Everyone in the art world is doing a hundred things just to get by," Matarazzo says. "I believe we should have spent less time allowing developers to turn small little bundles into $1.3 million spaces in my neighborhood that do not help anyone survive. Artists are leaving because they are being pushed out, and that's a problem. We need to shift our goals there to ensure there's affordable housing and increase the visibility of art."
BRDG drew thousands of visitors and featured 300 working artists as well as 450 students from three universities and Denver Public Schools over its three and a half-year run in two locations.
Courtesy of Brett Matarazzo and Amy Norton
“We wanted to show people the value of empty spaces and how art could activate them,” Matarazzo recalls. This ethos would later define BRDG’s mission to reintegrate art into Denver’s shifting neighborhoods.
By 2020, the two artists formalized their vision, launching BRDG in a location under the Highlands Bridge on Platte Street that they would later find out was "integral to the original contemporary art scene of the late ’80s and early ’90s that eventually gave rise to Navajo and a lot of prominent gallerists."
BRDG was at that location for fourteen months, but the high cost of maintaining the space proved unsustainable, prompting the organization to pivot back to pop-up shows and temporary installations around town.
When spring of 2023 arrived, Matarazzo was "champing at the bit" to find a permanent space, but he needed capital to fund the expansion. After a successful charity event at the Evans School, BRDG began looking for a space.
"I felt very strongly that it was important to be in north Denver. Yes, it's a more affluent neighborhood now, but I think the conversation is just that we need art in all neighborhoods," Matarazzo says. "We thought we would go with a smaller space, but then we discovered 3300 Tejon Street, which I have walked by every day of my life because it's just four blocks down from my house, on a corner. That is one of the more vibrant corners in Denver for activity, and I just couldn't believe we'd be able to do it."
The expansive venue included three gallery spaces, a performance stage, artist studios and prominent garage doors that opened directly onto the sidewalk, inviting the public to engage with contemporary art. The Tejon Street location was a bold experiment in community building. BRDG went on to showcase 300 working artists and 450 students from three universities and Denver Public Schools, and thousands of people attended its galleries, performances and community exhibitions.
Signature exhibitions included Roots of an Era, which explored the deep history of north Denver, and its recent Día de los Muertos programming, which honored the event's origins on the Northside. BRDG also evolved into a versatile community space, hosting everything from memorial services to fundraisers to weddings.
However, the challenges of operating such a large space were immense. The nonprofit relied heavily on events to cover its $12,000 monthly rent, but interest often fell short of projections. Despite a temporary rent reduction from a supportive landlord, BRDG struggled to make ends meet.
“We needed three events a month at capacity to feel secure, but that just didn’t happen,” says Matarazzo. Efforts to obtain grants were also hampered by a lack of resources to hire a dedicated grant writer.
“It’s not my strong suit,” Matarazzo acknowledges. “I have great ideas, but I'm not great at that work. I would say my personal greatest failure as director is not committing to and finding a way to get grants. We tried this several times, and it failed each time. If we had been working within that granting process, we might have been able to find some relief, at least in the short term."
The decision to close the Tejon Street space came after months of grappling with financial realities. Even with a final push to raise emergency funds, BRDG fell short of the funds needed to renovate the venue to include more studio spaces for rent, which the leadership and board believed would be a more sustainable business model.
“We tried to shift gears, but we needed $30,000 to $40,000 for renovations, and the money just didn’t come,” Matarazzo says. "We know it's been difficult for everybody, and we probably have asked too many times. We did many, many events over those last four months, and I think at some point people just couldn't do it. We totally respect and understand that, especially since the majority of people who support us are the artists themselves."
The closure is bittersweet, but it's not the end of BRDG's story. The nonprofit is collaborating with the landlord to find new tenants, preferably other creatives, for the multi-purpose facility after BRDG vacates it. The gallery plans to focus on more manageable initiatives that support artists through studio spaces and curated opportunities following its final two shows — DeMOCKracy, which showcases artists' responses to the elections, and Circle, which honors those within the gallery's "circle of trust."
“We need to rebuild with a model that isn’t dependent on one person and that prioritizes long-term sustainability,” Matarazzo says. "There needs to be wider diversity on the board and more help on the admin side. As much as we've done in three and a half years, we're still in the infancy stage and, to be fair, we fell down. We ran too fast, and we need to back up a little bit."
BRDG’s closure underscores the challenges facing Denver’s arts community, particularly in north Denver. Once a thriving center for avant-garde art, areas like Navajo Street have seen their galleries displaced by luxury developments. Institutions like Pirate and Next have relocated to more affordable suburbs, while commercial galleries downtown struggle to attract foot traffic in a post-pandemic world.
Matarazzo sees this trend as a wake-up call for Denver. He believes the city needs to rethink its priorities, advocating for policies that integrate affordable housing and creative spaces into new developments. Matarazzo envisions a collective effort to raise awareness and resources for the arts, including initiatives like a dedicated “Arts Giving Day” to highlight the sector’s needs.
“The arts are not a luxury — they’re sustenance for the human condition,” he says. "When the arts succeed, education succeeds and humanity is connected."
As BRDG transitions, its mission to build community through art remains intact, and it is working on scheduling a closing party as well as an art garage sale. Its story is a reminder of the resilience of Denver’s creative community and the urgent need for systemic change to ensure its survival.
“Twenty years ago, when you went into this neighborhood, you’d see all these old establishments in north Denver, but there are very few left now," Matarazzo says. "I absolutely believe we need to be doing more. Otherwise, Denver’s going to look up one day and realize they’ve accidentally or legislatively kicked the arts out because no one can afford it. Denver needs to be doing a lot more. ... I think the people of Colorado need to launch a definitive campaign and understand that the arts are not healthy and that they need support. We’re at a precipice of something bad happening to the arts in Colorado, and we need change.”
Circle and DeMOCKracy, on view through Sunday, December 29, BRDG Project Gallery and Event Space, 3300 Tejon Street. Learn more at brdgproject.org.
