Photo by: Megan Westervelt
There is finally a way for DU students to enjoy the arts at a discounted rate. The new program, Explore Denver offers free and discounted tickets to arts and science events around Denver.
This is the program’s first year and was created by graduate student Jason Lundberg and junior Dillon Doyle.
“Oftentimes the cost of cultural events around the city creates a barrier for which students frequently have a hard time overcoming. Explore Denver corrects that imbalance by providing free or vastly subsidized tickets to events around the city,” said Doyle.
Explore Denver offers free admission tickets to the Denver Art Museum, the Denver Zoo, the Botanical Gardens and the Denver Museum of Nature & Science. Reduced ticket prices are available for “Wicked,” “Absurd Person Singular,” “Raisin in the Sun” and “The Voysey Inheritance” at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts.
Tickets for The Rachmaninoff Festival, Three Broadway Divas and Lang Lang at the Gala Evening at the Colorado Symphony Orchestra will be discounted.
The student senate and student comptroller initiative uses student fees to provide free or reduced tickets to Denver cultural events.
Three years ago a similar program, Arts and Sciences Passport, provided a similar service to students with the added benefit of being donor sponsored and having a larger budget. The program lost funding and disappeared but Explore Denver hopes to eventually build up to the size of the old program.
“There is a need for this,” said Lundberg. “We want to do more things for free.”
Explore Denver’s kickoff event will be at the Denver Art Museum on Oct. 8, with dinner, a tour and cocktails. This is a ticketed event, but Explore Denver is also looking to create a student ambassador group, which would receive such perks as free event tickets and an opportunity to choose the programming.
It is possible to get more tickets to the events if people express interest, said Lundberg.
Wicked tickets will be released at staggered dates to allow students the chance to purchase tickets if they have conflicts during one of the release dates. The first staggered release date will be Sept. 24 or 25.
If you have ideas for events that are not currently being offered or questions about the program contact programming@explore-denver.org. “I believe education doesn’t just occur in the classroom,” said Doyle. “It is important for us all to get out and experience new things. Explore Denver makes this easy.”
The office is located in the lower level of Driscoll North in Driscoll Underground, past Sidelines Pub and information desk.
Pricing
Driscoll Underground ticket booth open Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
- Free Tickets: Denver Art Museum, Denver Zoo, Denver Museum of Nature and Science, Denver Botanical Gardens
- $5: Colorado Rapids Game with bus ride and pregame tailgate
- $5-15: Rob Thomas at Magness Arena
- $10: Jazz Ambassadors, Three Divas, Rachmaninoff Festival
- $20: Lang Lang, ‘Wicked’
Availability
- 100 tickets per free event
- 90 tickets for ‘Wicked’
- 10-15 tickets for other events
- Group tickets available for 10+ two weeks in advance online
- Show dates and release times at exploredenver.org
