Although most know Denver for its outdoor attractions, Denver is also a hotspot for arts and culture. With several art museums, many large displays of street art and countless musical and theatrical performances each year, you can find a lot more than just skiing and sporting events in Denver.
If you’re looking for places to appreciate the arts and culture, here are just a few of the impressive options you’ll find in the Mile High City.
1. Denver Art Museum
With a vast array of both permanent and temporary exhibitions, the Denver Art Museum is the best place in Colorado to find art from around the world. Whether you’re a local resident or a visitor to the city, visit this museum to see the historical and the modern one-of-a-kind paintings and sculptures that it houses. This museum also offers exceptional programs for kids, including a hands-on art studio and a scavenger hunt.
2. The Denver Center for the Performing Arts
If you want to see a live performance, you must visit the Denver Center for the Performing Arts. Offering plays, musicals and symphony orchestrations in addition to comedy shows and intimate concerts, this is the place to be for the best artistic performances in Denver. You can also enjoy the impressive architecture of the building and the unique outdoor art display before or after your show.
3. Santa Fe Art District
For a less-structured and more authentic look at the local art and culture of Denver, head to the Santa Fe Art District. On the first Friday of every moth, there is a gallery stroll with live music and free entry to all of the district’s galleries. Browse the impressive photos at Studio One Arts, and wander into some of the other art studios that house talented artists living in the Denver area. It’s also worth a stroll down the road to see the beautiful street paintings that cover the walls and the buildings in this area.
4. Larimer Square
Between 14th and 15th Streets, you’ll find Larimer Square, a place that still looks like the Old West. The art galleries, fashion boutiques, and speakeasy-style underground bars will show you what the city was like a hundred years ago. Visit during the first weekend in June, and you’ll be a part of the Denver Chalk Art Festival, allowing you to see more than 50 different art entries.
5. Fusion Factory Warehouse
Start your workweek with the Monday Night Burning Man Community Potluck at the Fusion Factory Warehouse, or take an art class on nearly any other day. The Warehouse also regularly holds art appreciation events, and it houses a black-lit DJ room that is hoop and poi friendly. You’ll find a lot of different interesting and artistic people in this exciting, moody and eclectic place.
6. Redline
A nonprofit contemporary art center, Redline was founded in 2008 to support local artists and to build a stronger cultural center in northeast Denver. You’ll find youth education classes and community outreach opportunities at Redline that welcome more than 30,000 visitors throughout the year, especially to its community art gallery and its individual art studios. Check out some local art, or even get involved in creating some yourself at Redline.
Did we miss a great example of arts and culture in Denver? Let us know, and we’ll be sure to check it out!
