11th Annual CRUSH WALLS - Denver's International Street Art Festival - Goes Hybrid for 2020

The event that turned Denver into AFAR Magazine's "Street Art Capital of the Country" will feature 100 artists creating more than 50 works of art in just one week

News provided by

VISIT DENVER, The Convention & Visitors Bureau

Sep 14, 2020, 16:44 ET

DENVER, Sept. 14, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- CRUSH WALLS – an annual international street art festival held in Denver's RiNo Art District – has brought artists, art and community to the streets of The Mile High City since 2010. The decade-old event has generated hundreds of inspiring works of public art, with more than 100 created last year alone, drawing more than 150,000 spectators annually. For its eleventh year, the festival – taking place September 14-20 – will look different, with in-person and virtual experiences to ensure safety and accessibility for all spectators. However, festival goers can still expect to see passionate artists creating urban sculptures, murals, photography, films, projection mapping and more, alongside interactive virtual and in-person activities throughout the week.

The 11th annual CRUSH WALLS - an international street art festival held in Denver, CO - will feature virtual and in-person events for 2020. Festival goers will experience passionate artists creating urban sculptures, murals, photography, films, projection mapping and more, alongside interactive virtual and in-person activities throughout the week. (Credit: Nikki A. Rae Photography)

CRUSH (Creative Rituals Under Social Harmony) WALLS originated to both serve the community by bringing people together over shared public art and to encourage wider acceptance of street art. Now, as a result of CRUSH WALLS and various other public art initiatives around the city, Denver has developed a concentrated and thriving street and public art scene, leading AFAR magazine to name it the "Street Art Capital of the Country." The event's initial purpose still maintains a strong presence throughout the week – this year especially, as organizers expect some powerful work to emerge from the difficulties people have experienced. The committee selected 100 local, national and international artists to create more than 50 activations and murals throughout the district in one week's time.

Beginning September 14, spectators can watch the artists transform the neighborhood with new murals, immersive art experiences, artist battles, youth programming, gallery shows and more – either in-person or virtually. The works will be spread throughout a 30-block, open air "gallery," so people are encouraged to explore the whole area to maintain distancing measures, either via self-guided or artist-led walking tours. Masks will be required, and each artist will have safety zones around their work areas. The event creators will also be posting rich digital content for online audiences during this year's event, including daily recaps, drone footage of art in progress, digital mapping and live streaming of artists working.

People who visit the festival in-person are encouraged to support the local neighborhood businesses and the local artists, whose work can be found alongside CRUSH merchandise at the HQ gallery in the alley behind Denver Central Market.

For those who choose to experience the festival digitally, other CRUSH WALLS virtual experiences and workshops include a Learn to Wheat Paste Youth Workshop, Street Art vs. Graffiti Panel, Representation Matters Artist Panel and more.

Full festival details can be found on the CRUSH WALLS website, including event schedules, a complete artist list, an updated map of murals and businesses and more.

Once CRUSH WALLS pieces are completed, they are available for anyone visit all year throughout the neighborhood. For more information on how to see this year's works, go to the VISIT DENVER Website.

About VISIT DENVER, The Convention & Visitors Bureau

Celebrating 111 years of promoting The Mile High City, VISIT DENVER is a nonprofit trade association that contracts with the City of Denver to market Denver as a convention and leisure destination, increasing economic development in the city, creating jobs and generating taxes. A total of 17.7 million visitors stayed overnight in Denver in 2019, generating $6 billion in spending, while supporting more than 60,000 jobs, making Tourism one of the largest industries in Denver. Learn more about Denver on the VISITDENVER website and at TOURISMPAYSDENVER or by phone at 800 2 Denver. Denver International Airport (DEN; flydenver.com) connects The Mile High City to more than 200 destinations worldwide. Follow Denver's social media channels for up-to-the-minute updates at: Facebook.com/visitdenver; Twitter.com/visitdenver; Instagram.com/visitdenver; and YouTube.com/visitdenver.