Community Announcements
Focus On Proposition CC
Come learn about Proposition CC, which will be on the statewide November ballot to provide funding for transportation and education. Prop. CC would allow Colorado to retain excess revenue that is currently required to be refunded under the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights (TABOR). The meeting will be Wednesday, Sept. 4, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Park Hill Congregational Church, 2600 Leyden St. Carol Hedges, executive director of the Colorado Fiscal Institute and a nationally known expert on TABOR, is the featured speaker. State Sen. Lois Court will also be onhand to answer questions. The event is sponsored by Indivisible Stapleton and Colorado Friends of Democracy (the Park Hill Indivisible group). There is no cost, and no need to RSVP. Just show up with your questions.
Healing Racism
Unity on the Avenue Spiritual Center will host a community discussion on healing racism on Wednesday, Sept. 18. The discussion will be facilitated by Rev. Susan Gumm and Rev. Sheila Gautreaux, and begins at 6:30 p.m. at 4670 E. 17th Ave. Although racism is almost universally condemned across the political spectrum, what exactly constitutes racism (and what merits the label of “racist”) is not so clear. What these words actually mean is the subject of ongoing, often heated disagreement. This discussion will move deep into the roots of racism and give us tools to better understand our own views and how to begin to heal racism in ourselves and in our nation. The event is free, but registration is requested at unityontheavenue.org.
Power Of Nature Play
On Tuesday, Sept. 3, City Park Friends and Neighbors (CPFAN) presents a program on “Nature Play in City Park.” The event, part of the City Park Master Plan Update, will feature slides and narrative by Peggy Day, director of strategic planning for the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, as well as Adam Bienstock, founder and principal designer of Bienstock Natural Playgrounds. This free event is from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Messiah Community Church, 1750 Colorado Blvd. Come share your thoughts about what makes nature, science and play meaningful to you.
Children are welcome, and materials for creating their own designs will be on hand. Parking is behind the church, off 18th Avenue.
Know Your Zoning
Are you curious about Denver’s residential building and zoning codes? On Saturday, Sept. 21, Denver’s Community Planning and Development department is hosting a residential permitting presentation about codes and topics related to single-family homes and duplexes. The new supervisor for the residential plan review team, Mikaela Firnhaber, will discuss how to use e-permits, answer questions about codes and city procedures, and more. Bring all your burning questions. The meeting is from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. at Sam Gary Public Library, 2961 Roslyn St. There is no cost.
Rally For The High Line
The High Line Canal Conservancy is hosting a free community event on Saturday, Sept. 14 to celebrate the progress to protect and enhance the High Line Canal. The “Rally for the Canal-ly” is free and family-friendly and will include complimentary local fare, family fun, the kick off of upcoming trail improvement projects and a Canal cleanup. Attendees will receive a free copy of the new High Line Canal map. The rally kicks off at 9:30 a.m. and goes to noon, at Schomp Subaru, 580 S. Havana St. in Aurora. Public parking is available at nearby Expo Park. For more information, check out highlinecanal.org/rally.
Stanley Arts Fest Sept. 7 & 8
The Stanley Arts Festival takes place on Saturday, Sept. 7 and Sunday, Sept. 8 at Stanley Marketplace east of Park Hill. The festival features the works of more than 90 national juried artists. In addition to the art, there will be live entertainment. Families can enjoy children’s activities at Creation Station and visit the CherryArts Mobile Art Gallery. The festival will also feature large-scale inflatable sculpture installations, including “Creatura Psychedlica,” a monumental pneumatic sculpture installation by Bill Kennedy of San Francisco in partnership with the Museum of Outdoor Arts. The artists will exhibit in 13 disciplines, including ceramics, mixed media, digital art, photography, metalworks and drawing. A list of all artists can be found at stanleyartsfestival.org/exhibiting-artists/. Stanley Marketplace is at 2501 Dallas St., just north of Montview Boulevard in Aurora.
Stapleton Open Studios Tour
The 7th annual Stapleton Artists Open Studios Tour is Saturday, Sept. 28 and Sunday, Sept. 29. The open studios tour allows people the opportunity to visit artists in their private home studios on both days from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The kick-off reception for the event is Friday, Sept. 27 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at The Cube, 8371 Northfield Blvd. Suite C. The self-guided tour is an open format that is a way to encourage dialogue between artists and enthusiasts and allows visitors to gain firsthand knowledge about the creative process. The 26 participating artists represent a range of disciplines, including painting, jewelry, photography, sculpture, glass, and fiber art. Tour maps are available prior to the event at The Cube. Additional information is at StapletonArtists.org.
Aging Creatively
Denver Arts & Venues is sponsoring an IMAGINE 2020 Speaker Series event on “Creative Aging.” The free session is on Wednesday, Sept. 18 from 8 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. at the McNichols Civic Center Building downtown, at 144 W. Colfax Ave. Cultural organizations all over the world are currently focusing on developing and enhancing creative aging programs to improve the lives of older adults and their communities. Studies show that regular participation in the arts by older adults helps to minimize age-related cognitive and physical decline and contributes to maintaining physical, intellectual and emotional health. The session will be led by Damon McLeese of Access Gallery. RSVP for this free event at eventbrite.com/e/imagine-2020-speaker-series-creative-aging-tickets-66253051661?aff=ebdssbdestsearch
Friendship Powwow At DAM
The 30th annual Friendship Powwow and American Indian Cultural Celebration is Saturday, Sept. 7. The Friendship Powwow is one of the Denver Art Museum’s longest running events, and includes American Indian dance competitions, drum groups, working artists, food vendors and hands-on activities. Admission is free. It runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. downtown, just east of the museum entrance between 12th and 13th avenues. This year’s Friendship Powwow celebrates the life of Nancy Blomberg, who served in her curatorial role at the DAM for 28 years overseeing the American Indian, African and Oceanic art collections. A new song composed for the DAM, and in honor of Blomberg, by Andy Cozad (Kiowa) will debut during the Friendship Powwow in the afternoon. If you want to skip the hassle of parking, DAM has partnered with Lyft to provide 30 percent off a ride to or from the Powwow. Use the code POWWOW2019. That day – Sept. 7 – is also Free First Saturday at the Denver Art Museum, so you can also check out the art collections and non-ticketed exhibitions without spending a dime.
Empathy In Action
The Biennial of the Americas 2019 Festival will take place downtown from Wednesday, Sept. 25 through Saturday, Sept. 28. The Biennial is an international event of ideas, art and culture that assembles dynamic leaders to identify unique opportunities and solutions to shared challenges across the Americas. This year’s Biennial features 50 international speakers addressing the theme, “Empathy in Action.” In 2019, the Festival is offering a series of nine clínicas, from Sept. 25 through Sept. 27 at McNichols Civic Center Building, 144 W. Colfax Ave. The clínicas offer participants an opportunity to connect with diverse thought leaders from across the Americas on a variety of topics, including education, housing, art, transportation, marketing, sustainability, artificial intelligence, fashion and inclusivity. They are free and open to the public, but you should reserve a spot via biennialoftheamericas.org. For an overview of all programming, visit biennialoftheamericas.org. Check out the Biennial on Facebook, Instagram (@thebiennial) or Twitter (@thebiennial).