Best of Denver Award Winner Manos Sagrados Closing in May

The Denver area is losing yet another community hub.

Manos Sagrados will be closing its doors on May 31, according to a video statement published today, April 22, by founder Bruce Trujillo, who added they were still planning “a final big bash to send it all off in style.”

Trujillo, whom we named one of the music scene’s people to watch this year, opened Manos Sagrados in September 2023 at 9975 East Colfax Avenue in the Aurora Arts District. The multi-purpose venue became known as a welcoming space to artists and the surrounding community, offering concerts, festivals, yoga classes, art workshops and so much more, including a BIPOC open-mic night dubbed Bodies of Culture that won a Best of Denver award this year.

“There’s a number of reasons why I decided to close Manos Sagrados,” Trujillo said in the video. “Obviously, the landscape for art spaces has been pretty rocky. Manos Sagrados is not exempt from any of that. In addition, Manos Sagrados is entirely volunteer-run — on my end included — and it’s just not sustainable right at this time”

Trujillo noted that they were excited for the future, though.

“Manos Sagrados is pivoting, though, to becoming a booking, production and promotion company, which we’ve been doing the entire time, as well,” Trujillo said. “So if you’re an artist, musician, person who does movement classes, whatever it might be, hit me up, and we’ll get you into the right space. Or maybe you’re looking to book somebody to make your event unforgettable — I got you. And in addition to that, [we’re] looking to support other community spaces that have been doing great work throughout the Denver Metro area to ensure that their doors don’t have to close. We’ve got to keep each other safe, so I’m trying to work with different folks. I’ll be working with a number of partners throughout the summer and into the fall. So this isn’t goodbye, it’s just, ‘I’ll see you out there.'”

Manos Sagrados had been a labor of love since the beginning, Trujillo told us in February, with zoning and occupancy delays pushing back the opening. “It’s been very stressful,” Trujillo admitted. “It’s been a real test of faith. I have to also believe that it’s just going to work out. There’s no other option.”

Trujillo has boundless support for the scene. In the video statement, the former Indie 102.3 host extended gratitude to those who supported Manos Sagrados, in turn.

“Thank you to all of the people who made Manos Sagrados possible: all of our creators and performers, who have stepped on our stage and shared their medicine, to everybody who has made community connections happen in this very room, either by being in the audience, by hosting a workshop or a class or a market, or the folks who are creating their own work in our studios downstairs,” Trujillo said.

“There’s a number of ways to connect with Manos Sagrados, and it’s only made possible by our community. So thank you so much for making this dream happen.”

In the meantime, Manos Sagrados will continue to host events until its closure. You can find these on its website or by following along on social media.