Proud Denverites display their vibrant cultures and celebrate the city as an artistic landmark throughout the ten-day celebration of Denver Arts Week. Already celebrating its 19th year, Denver Arts Week will highlight more than 250 businesses and organizations in more than seven hundred events, according to Visit Denver coordinator Natalie St Hilaire. Visit Denver created this lineup of events as an annual celebration of the city’s art scene and its cultural communities. Locals and visitors alike are encouraged to walk through neighborhood art crawls and gallery exhibitions; take the afternoon for live jazz in Five Points or dance the West Coast Swing at the Mercury Cafe. Whether it’s a day with family or a solo adventure, let creativity, curiosity, and the ever-evolving artistic spirit flourish. 

Art is at the heart of Denver’s identity and a pillar for attracting visitors, with lively art districts, museums, and galleries that reflect the unique character of every neighborhood. Denver Arts Week kicks off with the First Friday Art Walks on November 7th and hosts its signature Night at the Museums on the 8th.  

In addition to the multitude of established galleries in Denver to peruse, the art walks provide access to a market of local artists and their work. Hot spots for these walks include 16th Street, which will feature an interactive art installation; the River North Arts District, famous for its breweries and urban art; and the art crawls at Fillmore Plaza, Tennyson Street, and Belmar. To support even more creators, visit the Union Station’s Urban Holiday Market or the Entrepreneurs with Disabilities pop-up at the Curtis Hotel.  

During Arts Week, our own campus will be celebrating its imaginative students at MSU’s Fine Arts Thesis Exhibition, an exhibition which “traces how meaning, power, and identity are made and remade across bodies, communities, and ecologies,” according to their Center for Visual Art. 

Another exciting cornerstone of Denver Arts Week is the Night at the Museums, where Denverites are allowed to stay late at twenty of Denver’s most popular museums for free. This includes, but is not limited to, the History Colorado Museum, the Botanic Gardens, Wings Over the Rockies, and the Molly Brown House. These museums will be open from 5pm to 10pm with free admission on Saturday, November 8th. Visit Denver will provide free shuttles that will take participants around the city to most participating museums. Check out their website for the shuttle map and additional information. Take advantage of Denver’s Night at the Museums for an adventurous outing with a partner or with a group. 

If viewing the stuffed animal exhibits at the Museum of Nature and Science does not invite intrigue, surely live animals at the Denver Zoo will do the trick! Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance Free Day falls on Friday the 7th, with free tickets held online in advance.  

While painters, ceramicists, jewelers, and sculptures enchant fellow creatives with their work; musicians, comics, and performers take to Denver’s bright stages and outdoor venues. Check out Swallow Hill Music’s Banjo fest in its dedication to promoting and preserving roots, acoustic and folk music. Sonny Lawson Park and Five Points will both be hosting live jazz performances during Arts Week. Only local musicians and bands will perform at these venues in Denver’s historic jazz district.  

To connect with the written word and live storytelling, the Bug Theatre hosts its yearly “Best of EXPOSED” series on November 14th, where real people read real writing “meant to inspire anything other than apathy,” according to Orlando Weekly. This event strives to promote healing within the community by creating space to listen to what is “really happening” in the lives of Denverites. After a night of heightened empathy and emotion, why not laugh off some steam at the Dinner Detective? This hole-in-the-wall provides dinner entertainment in the form of a mysterious murder that guests must solve. 

Hard-hitting performances cannot be highlighted without mentioning the drag community in Denver, who have no shortage of shows during this ten-day celebration. Meow Wolf, Ms. Marji’s, and the Clocktower Cabaret are just a few of the venues where Denverites and visitors alike can support local LGBTQ+ artists and drag performers. Beyond the energy and artistry of the drag scene, Denver Arts Week also embraces a different kind of performance—one centered on reflection, wellness, and inner balance. 

As a city often defined by health and wellness through outdoor adventures and mindful living, Denver Arts Week provides opportunities to attend sound baths and guided meditation. The Denver Botanic Gardens are hosting sound bath workshops for peace-pursuing individuals to meditate under a canopy of exotic plants with fellow students of spiritual wellness. Also check out the Denver Art Museum for guided meditation in harmonic frequencies. These events celebrate Denver’s powerful connection between the arts and personal wellness, offering experiences that inspire connection, reflection and rest. 

Denver Arts Week shines a spotlight on all the ways to experience art in the Mile High City, from galleries and performances to public art and community-driven activities. It is the perfect time to support local businesses, prioritize wellness, and try something new. A full list detailing scheduled events and activities is listed on Visit Denver’s website.