Like many other events in this unique year, Denver’s annual World Art Drop Day celebration will take an online twist as the public is encouraged to hunt for, and buy, pieces by local artists
Denver Arts & Venues calls for local artists, businesses to connect with others through Art Drop and Art Shop

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Denver Arts & Venues calls for local artists and businesses to delight and surprise Denver residents, and create positive connections through art by committing to participate in World Art Drop Day Tuesday, Sept. 1. Additionally, participants can be featured on Denver Arts & Venues Art Shop Marketplace, created to help support sales and commerce.

World Art Drop Day occurs annually on the first Tuesday of September and was conceived by Utah’s Jake Parker with the goal of connecting people to one another, and generating random bonds between strangers through the act of creating and giving.

“We’ve supported Art Drop Day for several years, promoting the opportunity for artists and community members to connect through art,” said Denver Arts & Venues Executive Director Ginger White Brunetti. “But this year is special. In addition to artists hiding small pieces of free art, we are inviting them to be showcased on ArtsandVenues.com/ArtShop.”

All past and current Art Drop Denver participants are eligible to be featured in the Art Shop Marketplace. Each Thursday, Arts & Venues will randomly select a few artists who will also be promoted on social media and highlighted in the weekly e-newsletter which reaches more than 40,000 people.

“2020 has been a difficult year for artists. As events are canceled, galleries are closed or facing limited hours of operation, and businesses across the gamut are facing economic stress, we wanted to give Denver’s artistic community a chance to showcase their talents,” explained Denver Arts & Venues Strategic Partnerships & Community Programming Specialist Brooke Dilling. “We hope that people will find a way to support our artistic community by purchasing art, lessons, music, event tickets and the like.”

Artists, musicians, crafters, teachers and other individuals can be featured as part of Art Shop by completing a short form with a photo, a brief description and links to their social media, as well as their website so people can purchase artwork, music, lessons, tickets, etc.

Artists interested in the Art Drop Day social media scavenger hunt can commit to participate by filling out the online form and creating a small, inexpensive piece or two to share on Art Drop Day. Then, on Tuesday, Sept. 1, artists and other participants can hide art around town, and drop hints and clues on social media so people can find their creations.

The public can participate in the fun and search for art by following #artdropday and #artdropdenver on social media, or by joining the Art Drop Denver Facebook group. Families and hobbyists can also get involved by creating and “dropping” art. Additionally, businesses can support local artists by purchasing artwork or art supplies and hiding them around town.

“It’s not just about visual art either. We have seen people hide books, jewelry, music, even theatre tickets,” continued Dilling. “We wanted to make sure to say thank you to all of those participants by supporting them through the Art Shop Marketplace.”

An estimated 1,000 pieces of art were hidden in the Denver-metro area in 2018 and 2019. The Art Drop Denver Facebook group has nearly 3,000 members, more than doubling each year since it was created.

There is no deadline for artists who wish to participate in Art Drop Denver. More information and FAQs can be found on ArtsandVenues.com/ArtDrop.