Today, the Mile High City transforms into a canvas for art, innovation and culture, celebrating the colorful backgrounds of our city with Denver Arts Week. Set against the backdrop of crunchy warm-toned leaves and the cool autumn air, Colorado’s favorite annual festival brings thousands together for one week of museum hopping, theater-going and supporting our vibrant community.
Now through the 10th, Denver Arts Week 2024 welcomes local aesthetes and touring creatives to visit hundreds of events across the Mile High commemorating the artistic expression of our neighborhoods. From free museum days to one of the biggest film festivals in the country, Denver Arts Week returns for another year of appreciating the bold and beautiful art scene in our city.
Friday, November 1st, packs plenty of events to kick off 2024’s Denver Arts Week. Get to know the neighborhoods local artists call home with First Friday Art Walks. Seven districts including Art District on Santa Fe, 40 West Arts and Tennyson Berkeley Association invite art connoisseurs and those looking for end-of-week plans to explore the work of hundreds of Denver artists, shop small and immerse themselves in the creativity of the communities. Stroll through the artistic endeavors of Olde Town Arvada while sipping on craft brews, shop from dozens of unique booths for holiday gifts at 38th Ave Art District, or enjoy live music while roaming the streets of RiNo.
In addition to First Friday Art Walks, the Denver Film Festival returns for its 47th year of Mile High movie magic. For one week, art comes to life on the big screen and cinephiles may gather again for special presentations of highly anticipated films, late-night showings, Colorado-crafted movies and award-season buzzworthy cinema.
The curtain rises on November 1st with Malcolm Washington’s The Piano Lesson, soon to be distributed by Netflix and winner of the 2024 Excellence in Writing Award. Throughout the week of the Denver Film Festival, attendees will have a chance to see A24’s highly praised The Brutalist, book-to-screen adaptation starring Amy Adams Nightbitch, Pamela Anderson’s return to the screen in The Last Showgirl and Paul Schrader’s latest project Oh, Canada. Closing Night will include the long-awaited German drama, September 5. Films will be shown across Denver theaters including Ellie Caulkins Opera House, various AMCs, Denver Botanic Gardens and Sie FilmCenter.
If you’re interested in a visual feast free of charge, on November 2, several museums will open their doors to the public with no admission cost. Transport yourself to the past and the future at Wings Over the Rockies Air and Space Museum at Lowry’s former Air Force Base and learn about the history of flight, view over 50 aircraft and experience the newest exhibit Space: A Journey to our Future. Visit Denver Art Museum, one of the largest art museums on the West Coast for a look at the contemporary, abstract and nostalgic including traveling exhibits like Composing Color: Paintings by Alma Thomas from the Smithsonian American Art Museum and Wild Things: The Art of Maurice Sendak. Learn about the rich history and contributions of Black female artists and cultural icons at the Museum for Black Girls, filled with interactive displays and modern exhibits honoring the legacy of Black women. Other participating museums include the Center for Colorado Women’s History, Four Mile Historic Park, Clyfford Still Museum, MCA Denver, Museuo de la Americas and more.
Throughout Denver Arts Week 2024, there will be opportunities to dazzle all the senses with live music, theater performances, immersive events and comedy shows—some events at a discounted rate. Denver Performing Arts Center will offer behind-the-scenes tours for $8, Hamilton ticket lotteries and discounted tickets for Gutenberg! The Musical and Avaaz. Grab two-for-one tickets to Comedy Works Downtown’s comedy show, Backstage, featuring a panel of comedians analyzing today’s hot topics. Purchase a ticket to MeowWolf and receive a free QPASS, a transformative card that will elevate your experience into an interactive one. This week, art is showcased through every medium, allowing everyone to express their creative expertise.
On November 10, the final moments of Denver Arts Week 2024 come to a close, but the city will be left with a renewed sense of culture, community and passion for the arts. Once again, the Mile High City will become a hub for creativity with a message that art is for everyone and it thrives in the heart of Denver.