Creative Colorado / COME TO LIFE The Center for Fine Art Photogra-phy, Trimble Court Artisans and Coco Artist Studio. COLORADO BALLET, BLAINE HARRINGTON III CRESTED BUTTE The hamlet’s Center for the Arts, artist-owned studios and galleries, and 10 performance venues, including restaurants, bars and coffee shops, delight arts-focused visitors. Stroll galleries on Elk Avenue and check out arts events, including art walks and an August arts fest. STEAMBOAT SPRINGS Wild West roots combine with long-standing arts institutions, workshops, youth art programs, Art in the Park (July) and All Arts Festival (August), and a serene natural setting to inspire anyone — which is why so many artists call the area home. MANITOU SPRINGS A quintessen-tial tourist town since the 1870s, Manitou’s downtown is peppered with outdoor art, more than a dozen galleries, summer concert series and arts events. Stop at the Commonwheel Artists Co-Op to see what the locals are makin’. WESTWOOD A Hispanic-centric culture pervades this west Denver neighborhood on Morrison Road. Murals by local painters display the heritage of generations and new galleries and arts happen-ings are sprouting up each year. September’s Chile Fest showcas-es the neighborhood at its best. GRAND JUNCTION Downtown Grand Junction’s Creative District has a wealth of cultural treasures, including the renovated Avalon Theater and the beloved Art on the Corner outdoor sculpture program. Peruse the charming art galleries, snag a seat at sidewalk cafes and restaurants, and see how many of the more than 100 outdoor sculptures you can spot. GRAND LAKE This Rocky Moun-tain National Park gateway town is a hotbed of outdoor activity, but also harbors a creative community unique to the area. Anchored by the Rocky Mountain Repertory Theater, Westside 40’s artisan marketplace, a historic boardwalk packed with shops and galleries, it’s clear this alpine destination inspires its residents. 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 nation’s biggest arts campuses, ensuring there’s always something on stage when you’re in town, includ-ing performances by the Colorado Symphony, Opera Colorado, The Colorado Ballet and the Denver Center Theatre 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. The city also boasts the new Ent Center for the Arts, home to four performing arts ven-ues and a visual arts gallery. COLORADO.com/Arts MUST-SEE ART MUSEUMS Boulder, Aspen and Colorado Springs, Loveland and Fort Collins all have stellar museums to block off at least half a day to see. The Denver Art Museum is a world-class institution featur-ing blockbuster exhibitions and a renowned permanent collection. 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, Loveland, 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 A few to book a trip around: Jazz Aspen Snowmass (June–September), Colora-do Shakespeare Festival in Boulder (June–August), Cher-ry Creek Arts Festival in Denver (July), Mountain Fair in Carbondale (July), Colo-rado Springs Art & Music Festival (July), Vail Dance Festival (July–August), Evergreen Fine Arts Festival (August), Steamboat All Arts Festival (August), Rocky Mountain Folks Festival in Lyons (August), Telluride Film Festival (September). Find many more at COLORADO. com/Events. BRECKENRIDGE This mountain-view-framed downtown includes long-standing institutions like Breckenridge Backstage Theatre and National Repertory Orchestra, decorative plazas and 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. GOLDEN TRIANGLE 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. Examine 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 galleries and performance venues; or visit during July’s 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, FROM TOP: CARBONDALE CREATIVE DISTRICT; GREELEY FRIDAY FEST; RIVER NORTH ARTS DISTRICT. COLORADO.COM / 47
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