WeAreDenver is teaming up with Visit Aurora and The Black Actors Guild!
We are all proud to announce: “Colfax Canvas”!
Colfax Canvas is a mural experience in the Arts and Culture District of Aurora! (ACAD)
A group of talented creatives in Denver, CO are working together to create a safe, inclusive, and vibrant festival celebrating ten new murals in ACAD. They’ll be hosting a main stage with popular musicians, showcasing amazing businesses that run along Colfax, and activating the People’s Building parking area with fun games!
Artists have always been a harbinger of brighter times and a coalition of some of the metro area’s best mural talent is looking forward to working together and giving back to one of the country’s most diverse neighborhoods.
10 outdoor murals will be created by artists:
Detour, Dread, Zehb One, Hiero, Aaron Golbeck, Phero, Patrick Kane McGregor, Chad Bolsinger, and Casey Kawaguchi.
Chad Bolsiger is acting as this years’ Artistic Director for Colfax Canvas and has organized a group of painters who mean something personal to him.
“These are all artists who can knock it out of the park. A lot of these people have been an influence on my work and life for a while. We’re excited to see this list grow and diversify as the festival continues on in years to come.”
While anyone is welcome to witness the process of mural curation between July 27-July 31, the murals will be on full display along with fun outdoor activities, buskers, live music, and food on August 1.
There are actually two events:
The Driving Tour will be from 11a-2p. It will serve as a safe, accessible way to view all of the murals and take part in some of the festivities from a distance.
The Walking Tour will be from 2pm-6pm and be a more traditional festival, with live music and lots of fun, family-friendly activities.
The Aug 1st Festival Day is meant to be a way to come together as a community and let folks experience a neighborhood that has a lot to share.
“It may not be the slickest place, but the authenticity and energy of the neighborhood can’t be ignored,” says Aaron Vega, one of the event’s producer’s. “Between Mango House which has some of the best authentic cuisine in the region; Third Culture Bakery and Buba and Pops which offer gluten free Mochi muffins and perogies; to the incredible art coming from DAVA (Downton Aurora Visual Arts), Red Delicious Press, Ethan Hutchinson Woodworking, The Aurora Fox Cultural Center, Vintage Theatre, The People’s Building… the list keeps going!”
The business owners are excited to help build a grassroots and neighborhood based arts-district and this festival gives them a chance to engage with the larger arts community.
The murals will be placed on strategic points to add color and life to an already vibrant neighborhood. The bulk of the murals will be on the 9000 block of East Colfax, but an event map will be available for folks to see all the murals in the neighborhood, stretching from Dayton St to Florence St.
Sponsorship opportunities are still available, and anyone can find out more at ColfaxCanvas.com
Event:
Saturday, August 1st, 11a-2pm and 2pm-6pm
Parking area directly behind The People’s Building
9995 E Colfax Ave. Aurora, CO 80010
Partners and Sponsors:
Visit Aurora
ACAD (Aurora Cultural Arts District)
The Black Actors Guild
FlyWheel Capital
WeAreDenver
The People’s Building
Jonathan Woodward
Bob Hagadorn