Our Story

ArtistiCO and Mariachi Sol De Mi Tierra performing at Sculpture Park | Sunset Cinema - Jonathan Phillips Photography
 

OUR STORY

Denver Arts & Venues (DAV) is the City and County of Denver agency responsible for operating some of the region’s most renowned facilities, including Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Denver Performing Arts Complex, Colorado Convention Center, Denver Coliseum, Loretto Heights and McNichols Civic Center Building. We also oversee the Denver Public Art Program, funding opportunities like Urban Arts Fund, P.S. You Are Here and EDI Arts & Culture Fund, implementation of Denver’s Cultural Plan and other entertainment and cultural events such as the Five Points Jazz Festival and Sunset Cinema. 

Funds generated by the agency are put back into the community through grants for artists and arts organizations, free and low-cost cultural events, art in public spaces, venue operation and maintenance and arts education. 

Every good time at one of our venues enriches Denver through arts and culture and helps Denver’s cultural community thrive — for good!

Video produced by Zerosun, voiced by Denver-native and arts activist Theo E.J. Wilson. 

Our Unique Business Model

Unlike many city agencies, DAV operates as a Special Revenue Fund and does not receive a transfer from the City's General Fund. Instead, we are responsible for generating revenue and paying our own expenses including labor costs, capital improvements and venue maintenance. 

DAV is a social-cultural enterprise that not only pays for itself, but invests in the city's arts and cultural landscape. A social enterprise uses commerce as a tool to maximize impact and long-term viability for the social good.A cultural enterprise uses a business model that creates greater reach and impact on arts and culture. 

Simply put, we raise revenue through the operation of our venues and reinvest that revenue into venue maintenance, arts programs, community grants and free cultural amenities for Denver’s residents. Using good times, for good.

Our Venues

DAV operates several of the area's most renowned facilities for concerts, performing arts, community events and film. We host millions of guests annually across our 1000+ events and throughout our public spaces.

We strive to create a welcoming, inclusive, safe and accessible environment for everyone. We invest in our infrastructure, preserve the legacy of our venues and implement strategies to minimize our footprint.

We want our venues to be enjoyed for years to come. 

Our Impact

We believe in the strength and value of arts and culture in building healthy and inclusive communities. DAV is dedicated to supporting the health and vitality of Denver’s creative landscape - artists and culture bearers, non- and for-profit businesses, cultural districts, community-led development organizations and more.

DAV invests in our creative communities through research, exploring where we’ve collectively been to set the course for the future. DAV champions policy development, educational programming and advocacy. Leveraging local and federal grant funds as well as our own funding to create opportunities and platforms for artists and arts organization, DAV works to facilitate a collective path forward with more access and opportunity for local artists and arts organizations to thrive.

We invest in Denver's arts, creative and cultural communities because we know they make our city great, help our community thrive and bring pride to our residents.