Ninth Annual Denver Arts Week Highlights The Mile High City's Rich Cultural Scene
2015 Festivities will feature new events, perennial favorites and an unprecedented number of deals
DENVER, Oct. 15, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The 2015 Denver Arts Week, November 6-14, will feature favorite annual events as well as some new, fresh elements. Presented by VISIT DENVER, The Convention & Visitors Bureau, Denver Arts Week will highlight more than 300 events all week long – often free or deeply discounted – at more than 100 cultural venues around the city; and this year is anticipated to be the largest celebration of Denver's vibrant cultural scene yet.
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Many participating arts organizations are adding new elements in expectation of a record number of Denver Arts Week events and attendees. One of Denver's cultural epicenters, the Art District on Santa Fe, will close down the street to vehicle traffic for Know Your Arts First Friday – the first time this has been done during the event. RiNo (River North Art District) will offer a VIP Safari on the same night.
The Denver Art Museum will offer a sneak peek at a new, blockbuster exhibition featuring Andrew and Jamie Wyeth during the Free Night at the Museums – the preview requires a small admission fee, but entrance to the rest of the museum will still be free that evening.
In addition, Denver is on stage all week long with new theater, music and dance performances and the Denver Film Festival; and many organizations are offering more deals and discounts than ever before, including a $52.80 price tag on original works of art, among others.
"Denver has long been home to a thriving arts scene, and Denver Arts Week provides the perfect opportunity for residents and visitors alike to get out, explore and feed their creative side," says Jayne Buck, vice president of tourism for VISIT DENVER. "Every year, Denver's arts and cultural organizations and galleries roll out the red carpet to showcase the best of Denver's visual and performing arts. The Denver Film Festival brings national and international cinema to The Mile High City, and cultural icons like the Denver Museum of Nature & Science and the Denver Botanic Gardens have special events during the week as well."
Following are some highlights of the ninth annual Denver Arts Week; a complete calendar of events for the full week, deals, discounts and details can be found on the Denver Arts Week website.
- Know Your Arts First Friday (November 6) – This kickoff event is an annual, expanded citywide First Friday experience in nearly every metro Denver arts district including the Art District on Santa Fe, Belmar Block 7, Golden Triangle Museum District, Navajo Street Arts District, Tennyson Street Cultural District, 40 West Art District and RiNo. Each neighborhood will stay open late with live music, art demonstrations, gallery showings and more.
New this year, the Art District on Santa Fe will close down the street to vehicle traffic, providing a more festival-like atmosphere for the Know Your Arts First Friday event – including food trucks, a beer garden in partnership with Renegade Brewing Co. and a family-friendly Dia de los Muertos celebration at Museo de las Americas.
RiNo will also offer a VIP Safari throughout the evening – a reservations-required bus tour of five RiNo locations with a private tour guide and receptions at each location. - FREE Night at the Museums (November 7) – Denver Arts Week's most popular event, Night at the Museums, allows people to experience more than 20 of Denver's best museums with free admission. Each museum stays open late – until 10 p.m. – and free shuttles make it easy to explore multiple museums all evening.
During Night at the Museums, the Denver Art Museum will host a preview of its new, groundbreaking exhibition, Wyeth: Andrew and Jamie in the Studio, featuring more than 100 works that explore the connection between the father and son duo of American artists. Specially priced tickets for this sneak peek are available on the Denver Art Museum website.
Must-see new and traveling exhibitions this year include The Power of Poison and The International Exhibition of Sherlock Holmes at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science; and Repeat/Recreate: Clyfford Still's 'Replicas' at the Clyfford Still Museum.
The Denver Botanic Gardens, Denver's living museum, will also participate in FREE Night at the Museums. Visitors will be able to see orchids at night in Marnie's Pavilion, watch live demonstrations in the Science Pyramid and take advantage of their last opportunity to view Within Range: Paintings by Theodore Waddell, which runs through November 8.
Additionally, due to popular demand, History Colorado Center just announced an extension of the playful traveling exhibit, Toys of the '50s, '60s and '70s, making Free Night at the Museums a perfect time to see it while it is still in Denver. - Chance to Dance (November 7) – Denver Arts & Venues and Bringing Back the Arts will host the free, all-day celebration of dance as an art form at The Studio Loft at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House in the Denver Performing Arts Complex. Chance to Dance offers public professional dance workshops for dancers of all levels, an opportunity to connect with the dance studios about their regular programs and an afternoon showcasing professional dance performances and a youth dance competition.
This year's event will feature classes and performances by members of the Colorado Ballet, Ian Flaws, Dawn Fay, Mark J. Gabrielle de Bell and more. - A Christmas Carol Exclusive Behind the Scenes Experience (November 7) – During this limited-availability event, theater-goers can meet the artisans and actors who bring a beloved Denver holiday tradition to life. They will visit the scenic design studio and costume, carpentry, props and paint shops to meet real artists and designers at work. Then, they will head to the rehearsal studio to watch a live rehearsal and meet members of the cast.
- Denver Film Festival (November 4-15) – The region's largest film festival – often recognized for presenting films that regularly go on to win Academy Awards among other honors – features the best in new cinema, complete with star-studded red carpet premieres, parties, discussions with filmmakers and more. Film showings will be at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House and the newly renovated SIE Film Center.
This year will be the 38th Denver Film Festival, and more than 200 films from around the world will attract nearly 55,000 filmgoers. The full twelve-day festival program will be announced on Monday, October 19. - Art Smart (November 6-14) - Art Smart is a week of educational experiences led by the galleries of Cherry Creek North during which artists, dealers, experts and creators come together for one week of programs to offer insight into the world of art and answer questions about art of all forms. From crafting and printmaking demos to sustainability in art classes to purchasing a first collector's piece, Cherry Creek North art galleries share their love and expertise of art.
- Denver's On Stage (November 6-14) – From the Denver Performing Arts Complex to the many intimate neighborhood theaters, Denver's On Stage allows theater-goers to go behind the scenes, attend exclusive previews and learn more about the craft of performing arts, often at discounted prices.
From the premiere of The Lion King at the Buell Theatre and Colorado Ballet's Nutcracker First Friday to Ignite Theatre's take on the 1991 film Dogfight and many new independent shows, Denver is truly on stage all week.
Cultural Deals and Discounts
During Denver Arts Week, many cultural establishments offer two-for-one tickets, $52.80 deals, hotel packages and discounts for memberships, theater, dance and more.
Denver 2 for 1 TIX – Art enthusiasts and novices can sign up to receive weekly emails featuring an ever-changing lineup of 2-for-1 discounts for Denver Arts Week and beyond, ranging from theater performances to improv shows.
$52.80 Deals – In a nod to Denver's Mile High elevation (5,280 feet above sea level), many galleries, performing arts venues and more are offering a $52.80 price tag on original art, prints and performances.
Hotel Deals – Several hotels throughout the metro Denver area are offering hotel deals surrounding Denver Arts Week, encouraging visitors and residents alike to spend more time exploring Denver's extensive arts scene.
About VISIT DENVER, The Convention & Visitors Bureau
Celebrating more than 106 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 record 15.4 million visitors stayed overnight in Denver in 2014, generating $4.6 billion in spending, while supporting nearly 54,000 jobs and making tourism the second largest industry in Denver. Learn more about Denver on the VISITDENVER website and at TOURISMPAYSDENVER or by phone at 800 2 Denver. 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.
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SOURCE VISIT DENVER, The Convention & Visitors Bureau
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