One of Mayor Mike Johnston’s goals is to turn downtown Denver into a place where people want to live, work and play.
A grant program focusing on the play component is funding a slate of events and art installations coming to help activate downtown this spring, the Denver Downtown Partnership, Denver Arts and Venues and Johnston announced.
The grant program delivered awards of $500 to $25,000 to 27 community organizations hosting events or artworks throughout March, April, May and June.
“The program’s goal is to celebrate the vibrant history, arts and culture of our city through free activations produced by the Denver community for all to enjoy,” Johnston said in a statement.
The downtown’s struggles heightened after the pandemic as workers stopped going to the office and many companies downsized their space, leading to high vacancy rates in the office real estate market.
The next 18 months will be crucial to defining the future of downtown, the mayor previously said, and he has made it one of his top priorities to turn the Central Business District into a “Central Neighborhood District” that relies on more than just work.
“Our employee base is always going to be a tremendously important piece of our downtown landscape,” said Britt Diehl, Downtown Denver Partnership director of external affairs. “But now there’s really a renewed focus on residents and visitors, both of which are rebounding in a really strong way post pandemic.”
The Denver Arts and Venues and DDP picked events based on whether they celebrated Denver’s culture, art and history.
“Something that we really prioritize, and share with Mayor Johnston, is this idea of bringing joy to downtown,” Diehl said.
Some of the awardees included a stargazing event at Civic Center, movie night, an inaugural Indian festival, music and fashion showcase, comedy show in LoDo, Romeo and Juliet in the park and a local business scavenger hunt.
The program also handed out grants to several art installations including a projection mapping art show on Independence Plaza, a murals project in Upper Downtown and murals by artist and snowboarder Pat Milberry at several Lyft scooter stations across the city center.
“The Dynamic Downtown Denver Grant Program exemplifies the power of how community-driven efforts can bring joy, energize downtown, and, ultimately, help us connect more deeply with one another,” said Downtown Denver Partnership CEO Kourtny Garrett in a statement. “We’re thrilled to partner with Mayor Johnston and Denver Arts & Venues on this meaningful grant program that is already helping to breathe exciting new life into our center city.”
