6 Enthusiastic Organizations In Colorado Devoted To The Arts

6 Dynamic Colorado Arts Organizations

What Is Up With People?

Famous Artists From Colorado

• Amy Adams
• Townes Van Zandt
• Douglas Fairbanks
• Glenn Miller
• David Fincher
• Ken Kesey
• Trey Parker
• Robert Adams
• OneRepublic
• Dalton Trumbo
• The Lumineers
• Tim Allen
• Lowell Thomas
• Don Cheadle
• Frank Welker
• India.Arie
• Hunter S. Thompson
• Chris Eigeman
• Pam Grier
• The Fray
• Jon Heder
• Hattie McDaniel
• John Carroll Lynch
• Kip Winger
• Rick Reilly

Jazz On KUVO

In Depth

Colorado has plenty to offer both residents and visitors alike, from parks filled with stunning natural beauty to world-class ski areas. Thanks to a number of great arts-based organizations, it also offers a culture rich with creativity. Encompassing everything from educational institutions to public broadcast stations, the nonprofits included on this list take a variety of approaches to nurturing and promoting the arts. In no particular order, here are six passionate groups committed to ensuring creative growth and prosperity in and beyond Colorado.

For #1 we have the Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art. Established in 1972 by local creators, BMoCA offers inventive exhibits and educational programs that facilitate a productive engagement with contemporary art. With works that reflect a diversity of perspectives and aesthetic strategies, it seeks to foster an open space where creative expression and exploration can flourish. The museum's exhibits span an array of different mediums, including painting, sculpture, photography, and multimedia installations.

In addition to its exhibitions, BMoCA provides a surfeit of programs and events for the public. Its many youth offerings include day camps and hands-on, after-school art education for kids between five and twelve. ART Lab, an initiative for empowering teens, gives underserved high school students opportunities to express themselves creatively. The Studio Project internship involves student exhibitions and evening events. A multimedia festival, meanwhile, focuses on digital culture in a month-long presentation of workshops and live performances. Become a member to both support the museum and receive exclusive benefits.

A multimedia festival, meanwhile, focuses on digital culture in a month-long presentation of workshops and live performances.

Arriving at #2 is Lighthouse Writers Workshop. With the aim of maintaining the well-being of the literary arts, this Denver-based group is dedicated to providing high-quality support and education to writers and readers of all ages. Believing in the power of a diverse, encouraging communal environment, it seeks to engage teachers, students, and peers in relationships that allow for collaborative explorations of the written word. Through education programs, outreach initiatives, and events, it enables intellectual and artistic growth while motivating members to become enthusiastic proponents of literary culture.

Lighthouse offers adult and youth classes that take place over one day to eight weeks, as well as year-round events with established authors. The Book Project, an intensive program that lasts two years, gives manuscript writers the resources they need to complete their works. Connecting kids and teens to literature, youth outreach initiatives foster community engagement in places such as museums, libraries, schools, and treatment centers. There are also programs designed to support poets, writers of color, and LGBTQ creators. Help keep Lighthouse and the Colorado literary community thriving by making a donation or monthly gift through the group's website.

For #3 we get Rocky Mountain PBS. Beginning in 1956 as Colorado's original public television network, RMPBS features a rich breadth of programming designed to engage, inspire, and enlighten audiences across the state. Made to respond to the needs and interests of residents, its local productions address arts and culture, politics, science, and regional history, among other topics. The organization's community events, which include free screenings and performances, further encourage the public to learn about and participate in Colorado's vibrant cultural scene.

The organization's community events, which include free screenings and performances, further encourage the public to learn about and participate in Colorado's vibrant cultural scene.

In partnership with schools and arts organizations, RMPBS offers creative, educational resources to promote lifelong learning. Among these are child development initiatives such as StoryBlocks, a collection of videos that give caregivers early childhood guidance, and "The Raising of America" documentary series. Middle schoolers can submit their short stories to the StoryMakers contest, which rewards finalists with a station tour and an all-day workshop. A college student film series, meanwhile, showcases the work of emerging Colorado filmmakers. Become a donor and get the RMPBS Passport, which gives you on-demand access to the station's programming.

Showing up at #4 is the Colorado Photographic Arts Center. The only Denver nonprofit exclusively devoted to camera-based art, CPAC operates as a resource hub for photographers to nurture their craft and learn new skills. With free contemporary art exhibitions, affordable workshops and classes, and facilities including a darkroom and digital lab, the organization strives to promote an intellectual and aesthetic appreciation of photography among both professional and incipient artists. It also organizes upwards of fifty community events every year such as artist talks, auctions, receptions, and portfolio sharing.

CPAC's catalog offers everything from intensive single-day workshops to four-week classes taught by seasoned instructors with fine art and commercial backgrounds. It also offers summer workshops for teens, as well as five-month advanced sessions that provide education and professional development to military veterans. Among the organization's notable events are PhotoVox, a monthly industry and networking series, and Final Fridays, a summer-long exhibition in Denver's Golden Triangle Creative District. Support CPAC by donating through AmazonSmile, or become a member and get access to special events, discounts, and more.

Among the organization's notable events are PhotoVox, a monthly industry and networking series, and Final Fridays, a summer-long exhibition in Denver's Golden Triangle Creative District.

For #5 we have KUVO. A public radio station founded in 1985, KUVO broadcasts the best jazz and blues music around, as well as a wide range of locally produced programming. Spanning multiple sub-genres, its shows cover classic, modern, and Latin jazz, and include the Peabody-winning Afropop Worldwide, which is devoted to music of the African diaspora. Its KUVO Drop channel adds to the diversity with an array of hip-hop and rhythm and blues tunes. The station also features a number of informational and news segments that explore topical subjects pertaining to Colorado and beyond.

Deeply invested in the community, KUVO partners with a variety of cultural organizations to sponsor hundreds of community events. These include the Colorado Brazil Fest, the Live at the Vineyards food and music celebration, and studio performances from local and touring musicians that are streamed live on-air. KUVO's hosts also participate in a litany of statewide jazz fests throughout the summer, where you can meet them in person. Give back to the station by making a tax-deductible donation of a vehicle, or get involved more directly by volunteering as an events manager, driver, or website blog writer, among other options.

Finally, coming in at #6 is Up with People. Created out of a summer youth conference in 1965, UWP combines music with activism to strengthen communities and empower young people to become advocates for positive global change. Its core program revolves around an international tour, in which young adults from around the globe travel abroad to put on a professionally produced show, partake in local volunteer services, and engage in experiential learning through internships and workshops. Traveling across at least two continents, the tours take place over one or two semesters, and are designed to establish enriching cross-cultural connections.

Created out of a summer youth conference in 1965, UWP combines music with activism to strengthen communities and empower young people to become advocates for positive global change.

Like its main global program, UWP's other offerings are made to advance cultural awareness, cultivate community leaders, and inspire change. Maymester in Europe allows participants to spend two weeks on tour with members of the Up with People group, as well as take part in service projects. Two performing arts summer camps are available for younger folks, including one for kids eight to twelve held in cities around the world. The organization's expansive alumni association, meanwhile, ensures that its members carry out its mission long after they've left their programs. To aid UWP's operations, consider becoming a host family for students visiting in your area.