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As a new month and moon dawn, so does the chance to visit Denver’s art attractions for free on the first Friday of November. This month’s First Friday will kick off the Denver Arts Week and bear the theme know your arts. The week aims to bring attention to the artistic explosion centered in Denver’s seven art districts.
The most trodden path this Friday will be the one to the Santa Fe Art walk between 4th and 12th Avenues. Though the technical hours of the Santa Fe street-long celebration of art are 6 to 9 p.m., the galleries often stay open hours later to supply the wandering artist community with plenty of beverages and sights to behold.
Denverites swarm to walk the streets and graze the walls of galleries without the restraints of entry fees or daylight formalities. The doors of the galleries often open from seemingly small spaces into a series of rooms and staircases waiting to be explored. The streets are littered with musicians, street artists and occasional party buses.
At the gallery CHAC, the back door opens up to a large yard where strung lights and projected film serve to whisk the observer from the city life of Denver to a mysterious Spanish courtyard. Attendees may also stick their heads through a large wooden cut out to become Frida and Diego on their wedding day. The Chicano Humanities and Arts Council is currently featuring pieces celebrating El Dia De Los Muertos. The gallery is located at 772 Santa Fe Drive.
Crowds on First Friday can be large. Though the sights are circus-like and amusing initially, they can become overwhelming when trying to view the exhibits. The Events Gallery at 910 has large rooms that often supply enough space to make viewing pleasurable. The gallery is currently hosting the 14th annual Artists of Colorado Juried Exhibition, which features 90 mixed media pieces picked from submissions by local artists to the Colorado Arts Guild.
The celebration of arts will continue on Saturday night, with a tour of the city’s museums. Shuttles leaving from the Cherry Creek Shopping Center at 5 p.m. will transport patrons among the city’s museums open for public view. The shuttle runs until 10 p.m. and offers multiple routes with destinations among the 11 participating museums including the Denver Art Museum, Museum of Contemporary Art, and the Colorado History Museum.
Sunday’s events will focus on the Denver stage and will present people with discounts to the city’s theatrical and musical attractions. The Performing Arts Complex will host an open house that offers attendees backstage tours and discounts on future performances.
Denver Arts Week also will also feature events at the River North Art District, Golden Triangle District, Cherry Creek North, Downtown Denver, Belmar Block 7, East Ends District and Tennyson Street Cultural District.
For more information about the week of arts visit www.denverartsweek.com.
