Arts Complex Welcomes New CU Denver Experience Gallery Director & Curator Sarah Watson

Under the 80-foot-tall glass canopy of the Denver Performing Arts Complex, it’s easy to be dazzled by the towering buildings, larger-than-life sculptures, and colorful banners waving in the wind overhead.

But set your sights a bit lower, and nestled under the southwest steps to the parking garage, you’ll find a 900-square-foot interactive gallery space tucked inside one of the city’s most prominent performing arts venues. It’s the CU Denver Experience Gallery, and it just got a new showrunner.

“It’s such a funky little jewel box,” as Sarah Watson puts it. “Like public art, but with some glass walls around it.”

At the end of March, Watson joined The University of Colorado Denver (CU Denver)’s College of Arts & Media as their new Gallery Director & Curator.

“Being brand new to Denver and to the university, I’m really excited to see how this unfolds,” Watson said. “It’s such a special and exciting opportunity for the galleries at CU Denver, and for our students, faculty and staff, to have a space at the Denver Performing Arts Complex.”

Originally from the suburbs of Philadelphia, Watson is joining CU Denver from New York City, where she most recently served as Director of the Joseph S. Murphy Institute at City University of New York (CUNY)’s School of Labor and Urban Studies. Before that, she was Director of Exhibitions & Chief Curator at Hunter College for 11 years.

"Sarah brings exactly the kind of curatorial vision and community-centered approach that makes the Experience Gallery such a vital part of the Arts Complex," said Jody Grossman, Arts Complex Director. "We're thrilled to have her here."

Her experience in higher education arts and culture suits her well to lead the Experience Gallery, which is staffed almost entirely by CU Denver students. The gallery’s free access and public setting allow it to serve both as a community cultural hub and a showcase for CU Denver’s students and faculty work.

The Experience Gallery's location within the Arts Complex creates a unique opportunity since audiences arriving for performances by resident companies and partners may not have the gallery on their radar at all.

"Folks are probably not coming specifically to go to the Experience Gallery," Watson admits. "It's folks that are coming for something else and looking for that connection to culture, and then having this opportunity for discovery."

And they’re definitely discovering it. Last year, the Experience Gallery broke a record with over 16,000 visitors in a year.

“When I learned that, I was like, did you actually say 16,000? That's incredible,” Watson said. While she recognizes the attendance as a significant achievement, she emphasizes that attendance alone is not the sole success metric for the Experience Gallery.

“I think being able to build a sustained community for the Experience Gallery is also a really important component,” Watson explained. Ideally, visitors will leave wanting to learn more, return to future shows, subscribe to updates and deepen their relationship with CU Denver. “Thinking about how you sustain a returning audience and build a consistent and engaged community within the Complex is an exciting challenge.”

When it comes to programming, Watson is open-minded. She’s currently exploring future programming with a cautious, community-driven approach, focusing on listening and collaboration before setting a firm agenda for the Experience Gallery.

“I think there can be a dangerous space of curators being like, 'I know what's needed here.' And I don't. That's going to come from a lot of listening and meeting folks and collaboration.”

Thankfully, Denver’s local arts community has been making that easy for her.

“One of the things I have found really incredible is just how welcoming and open the arts community here has been,” Watson said. “It’s really exciting to get to learn about a new arts ecosystem and to meet the folks who are doing this work and really committing to sustaining this work in the city.”

That includes the audience, too.

“I’m really excited to just be able to spend more time in the Experience Gallery and get to meet more people and hear feedback about what folks’ experience at the Experience Gallery is.”

Consider this your invitation: next time you're at the Arts Complex, leave a few minutes before the curtain to stop by. Sarah's already looking forward to the conversation.

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Current Exhibitions at the Experience Gallery:

Come Together: Auraria and Community | May 28-August 2, 2026