DENVER CREATES HIGHLIGHTS
A New Chapter for Arts and Culture in Denver
2025 marked a landmark year for Denver’s creative sector with the launch of DENVER CREATES: A Collective Commitment to the Arts—the City’s cultural plan that ushers in a fresh chapter to create a more equitable and dynamic cultural landscape.
Guided by the vision to “grow and strengthen Denver’s arts and culture ecosystem for everyone to enjoy,” the plan centers on three core commitments:
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Broaden Access to Arts and Culture
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Cultivate the Cultural Community
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Support the Economic Vitality of Denver’s Cultural Sector
The Three Commitments in Action
DENVER CREATES is rooted in three collective commitments, bolstered by actionable strategies. The following examples showcase how Denver’s creative community is bringing these commitments to life—through creativity, innovation and a shared dedication to supporting arts and culture.
Commitment #1 – Broaden Access to Arts and Culture
Access in the Performing Arts: A Cyberpunk Opera Odyssey
As one of the city’s largest venue operators, Denver Arts & Venues (DAV) is providing access to our venues at the Denver Performing Arts Complex through the Arts Complex Creates Fund. One of those grantees is Akaiya Productions, who will produce GIRA GIRA, a cyberpunk opera odyssey that will transform the Ellie Caulkins Opera House into a living, immersive world in 2026. Guests are invited as exclusive participants to preview a bold new reimagining of the Japanese Shinto myth of Amaterasu, brought to life by pop idol HOSHI. As the myth unfolds, the boundaries of space and time begin to dissolve—blurring the line between Amaterasu’s divine struggle and HOSHI’s descent into her own darkness. When shadows threaten to eclipse the light, the audience must step forward together to guide HOSHI toward illumination—and, perhaps, to restore balance before our world slips into perpetual night.
Commitment #2 – Cultivate the Cultural Community
Amplifying Voices: Cultivating Community Through Art
The KISSFIST Mural Fest, a three-day celebration in October 2025 of deaf culture and creativity, showcased artistic talent and amplified the voices and stories of a community often underrepresented in public art. With a $10,000 grant from DAV, KISSFIST Mural Fest brought vibrant energy to RiNo ArtPark where Deaf mural artists from across the country created stunning 4x8 works of art, transforming the park into a space of connection and visibility.
“There is culture, language, art, and so much more that is specific to the deaf community.”
Commitment #3 – Support the Economic Vitality of Denver’s Cultural Sector
Securing Space for Creativity
The Community Arts Stabilization Trust (CAST) Denver is a new initiative in Denver that aims to bolster the economic vitality of our cultural sector by securing permanent, affordable live and workspaces to ensure local artists and arts organizations can stay in Denver. Built on a successful model from the Bay Area, CAST Denver is working in partnership with local creatives and community leaders to create a vibrant and sustainable arts hub that fosters belonging and innovation.
Stewarding DENVER CREATES
Since its launch in May 2025, DAV has embraced its role in implementing DENVER CREATES as a convenor and connector, introducing initiatives such as the DENVER CREATES Fund and hosting events designed to strengthen connections and share resources.
On November 19, 2025, DAV hosted DENVER CREATES: Digging into the Data in partnership with Corona Insights and Civic Arts. Attendees gained access to quantitative and qualitative data to guide community engagement and programming work and learned how DENVER CREATES could inform their cultural sector efforts as well.
Investments in Arts & Culture
While the creative sector continues to strengthen the cultural landscape in Denver every day, DAV officially kicked off DENVER CREATES related investments in 2025 in response to the community interviews and surveys during the creation of the plan. These DAV-specific investments included new and continuing funding programs providing resources to artists, organizations and businesses to bring arts and creativity to Denver through diverse projects, artistic disciplines and endless creativity, furthering the impact of our shared cultural plan.
DENVER CREATES Fund
The DC Fund, distributed by DAV, puts funds into the trusted hands of arts and culture organizations doing community-based work across Denver. In 2025, $633,270 was distributed to 64 individuals and organizations.
Arts Complex Creates
Arts Complex Creates is a new fund that leverages DAV venues to increase access at the Denver Performing Arts Complex through two opportunities: New Works, which will host artists to develop new Denver-based works and Producing Partner, which provides professional support in addition to venue space to elevate artistic shows and performances. In 2025, DAV announced $190,000 of funding which will be distributed to eight grantees throughout 2026.
P.S. You Are Here
P.S. You Are Here (PSYAH) is a placemaking-focused activation fund designed to enable accessible improvements in neighborhoods throughout Denver. In 2025, $212,706 was distributed to 10 individuals and organizations who are creating tangible projects to better reflect their communities.
SETTING THE STAGE FOR AN EXCITING 2026
DAV will launch the DENVER CREATES Speaker Series, Impact Teams and more this year.