Creative Colorado / COME TO LIFE GOLDEN TRIANGLE CREATIVE DISTRICT Bordered by Speer, Colfax and Lincoln, this wedge of Denver has a list of adored attractions, including the Denver Art Museum, Clyfford Still Museum and History Colorado Center. Ex-amine the mix of hip art galleries, boutiques, coffee shops and bars. CARBONDALE This area is fueled by its Western heritage and energetic community of artists. Explore the blossoming Third Street Center’s grassroots art gal-leries and performance venues; or visit during July’s Carbondale Mountain Fair to celebrate its creative riches. FORT COLLINS Artisans pay trib-ute to the area’s great outdoors with galleries, museums and inno-vative institutions dotting historic Old Town. Highlights include the Global Village Museum of Arts, The Center for Fine Art Photogra-phy, Trimble Court Artisans and Coco Artist Studio. CRESTED BUTTE The hamlet’s Center for the Arts, artist-owned and co-op studios and galleries, and 10 performance venues, including restaurants, bars and coffee shops, delight arts-focused visitors. Stroll galleries on Elk Ave-nue and check out arts events, which include year-round art walks and an August arts fest. CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: RIVER NORTH ART DISTRICT; TELLURIDE, MILES/HANNAH BROWN; ARTOCADE IN TRINIDAD, COLORADO CREATIVE INDUSTRIES; BRECKENRIDGE ARTS DISTRICT; CRESTED BUTTE, BETH SCHNEIDER; TELLURIDE ARTS DISTRICT. VAIL INTERNATIONAL DANCE FESTIVAL, MILES/ERIC GRAY. BRECKENRIDGE This mountain-view-framed downtown Arts District includes long-standing cultural institutions like Brecken-ridge Backstage Theatre and National Repertory Orchestra, decorative plazas and sculpture gardens; and a wide array of stu-dios, galleries and other creative establishments — and 250-plus buildings on the National Historic Register put to modern use. OTHER ARTS EXPERIENCES SMALL-TOWN PERFORMING ARTS VENUES Colorado’s mountain towns might be small, but several pack a big punch when it comes to fine arts. Operas, musicals and first-run shows are all artfully enacted on many small-town stages, including the Creede Repertory, Central City Opera, Tabor Opera House in Leadville, Rocky Mountain Repertory in Grand Lake, Butte Theater in Cripple Creek and the Southern Colorado Repertory in Trinidad. COLORADO.com/ BigArtsSmallTowns BIG-CITY VENUES The Denver Performing Arts Complex is one of the na-tion’s biggest arts campuses, ensuring there’s always something on stage when you’re in town, including per-formances by The Colorado Symphony Orchestra, Opera Colorado, The Colorado Ballet and the Denver Center Theater Company. There aren’t many places where you’ll find a nationally accredited art museum, Broadway-worthy theater, gourmet dining and an art school all under one roof, but the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center encompasses just that. Traveling exhibitions, events, musicals, dramatic plays and concerts are a few of the reasons to plan a visit. COLORADO.com/Arts MUST-SEE ART MUSEUMS Denver, Boulder, Aspen, Colorado Springs (afore-mentioned), Loveland and Fort Collins all have stellar museums to block off at least half a day to see. Smaller galleries and niche museums can be found at COLORADO.com/ ArtMuseums . ART WALKS One look at Colorado’s roster of art walks will convince you we’re serious about the arts. Denver, Telluride, Salida, Old Colorado City, Pueblo, Fort Collins and Breckenridge all have regular walks where visitors can hop between galleries and studios and enjoy the live music and festive air that surrounds these celebrations of the creative spirit. COLORADO. com/ArtWalks DESTINATION FESTIVALS Several festivals keep things creative throughout the year. Just a few to book a trip around: Jazz Aspen Snow-mass (June–September), Colorado Theatre Festival in Salida (June), Colorado Shakespeare Festival in Boulder (June–August), Cherry Creek Arts Festival in Denver (July), Pikes Peak Art & Music Festival in Colorado Springs (July), Vail International Dance Festival (July–August), Evergreen Fine Arts Festival (August), Steamboat All Arts Festival (August), Telluride Film Festivals (September). Find many more at COLORADO.com/Events. COLORADO.COM / 53
Colorado Official State Vacation Guide 2017: Page 53
