2019-12-10 23:33:04
2 DAYS OF DENVER ARTS & CULTURE DAY 1 Explore the street-art scene, covering buildings and other canvases throughout neighborhoods like RiNo (1), the Highlands, South Broadway, BuCu and East Colfax. More neighborhoods are emerging with their own distinct character and signature events like First Friday art walks, hipster flea markets, modern bazaars, craft-coffee bars, small music venues and only-in-Denver boutiques. Visit COLORADO.com/ArtHoods. Installation-art fans are crazy excited to hear that Meow Wolf, the wildly popular immersive art experience that debuted in Santa Fe, is coming to Denver in 2021. Plan ahead to see this totally new venture into “fantastic realms of story and exploration.” Much of Denver’s coolest art isn’t in museums. One percent of any capital improvement project over $1 million in the city is set aside for the creation of public artwork. The result is a wealth of exquisite — and often enormous — open-air pieces all over Denver. For a sample, head downtown to the Colorado Convention Center on 14th Avenue and California Street to see I See What You Mean by Lawrence Argent, a 40-foot-tall sculpture otherwise known as “The Big Blue Bear.” This benign ursine presence peers curiously into the center, providing visitors with an essential Denver photo opportunity. Just a short walk away at the Denver Performing Arts Complex, two 50-foot-tall figures frolic near Speer Boulevard as part of Jonathan Borofsky’s Dancers. A few blocks away, the jagged edges of the Denver Art Museum’s Hamilton Building jut over 13th Avenue. The museum houses Western art, contemporary masterworks and blockbuster traveling shows like Norman Rockwell: Imagining Freedom (opens May 3) and Frida Kahlo, Diego Rivera, and Mexican Modernism from the Jacques and Natasha Gelman Collection (opens Oct. 25). Stay for lunch at one of two new restaurants, which open in June, including a collaboration with celebrated chef Jennifer Jasinski called The Ponti. Visit the new location of the Kirkland Museum of Fine & Decorative Art (4) in the former studio of Vance Kirkland, one of Colorado’s most distinguished painters. In 2016, the studio was picked up from its original location a few blocks away and deposited in the art-rich Golden Triangle (2) area. Across the street, the Clyfford Still Museum, dedicated to the legacy of one of the most important painters of the 20th century, is one of only five one-artist museums in the nation. The Kirkland is another! If you’ve got an inclination toward vinyl and being cool, head over to Twist & Shout, a famed indie music store selling new and used music on East Colfax near popular theaters like the Ogden and Bluebird (3). Another option for the cool kids is the Mission Ballroom in the RiNo district — a new concert space designed for intimate shows that has plenty of bike parking available. Take the afternoon to explore the hub of Denver’s creative community, the Art District on Santa Fe, where murals, studios, galleries and creative businesses make it a Certified Colorado Creative District. Stop in at the Museo de las Americas, a unique museum highlighting traditional and contemporary Latino art and culture. DAY 2 Start the morning at Tattered Cover’s historic LoDo location. Called “a bibliophile’s paradise” by the New York Times, this multilevel bookstore, housed in a lovingly restored historic building, holds thousands of volumes on every topic under the sun, with a notable selection of Denver- and Colorado- centric books. Pop into the cafe for a quick, cheap breakfast, strong coffee, fresh pastries and breakfast sandwiches. Just around the corner, find one of the crown jewels of Denver’s art scene, the Museum of Contemporary Art Denver, a structure whose sleekness contrasts with the classic red brick typical to LoDo. Inside, galleries showcase a constantly refreshed series of exhibits devoted to innovation and creativity. At the serene rooftop garden, cafe and bar above the hustle of downtown, relax and reflect on what you’ve seen. On your way out, browse the eclectic books, music and clothing at the MCA Shop. STAY & PLAY OPTIONS Aurora (page 192), Arvada, Brighton (page 193), Castle Rock (page 194), Centennial, Commerce City, Denver (page 195), Englewood (page 197), Evergreen (page 198), Federal Heights (page 198), Glendale, Golden (page 199), Greenwood Village (page 200), Highlands Ranch (page 200), Lakewood (page 201), Littleton, Morrison (page 202), Parker, Roxborough, Sedalia (page 203), Thornton (page 204), Wheat Ridge
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