DENVER STREET ART IS DEMANDING CHANGE
While Denver might not have the same street art cred as more established locales like New York, Berlin, or Los Angeles, the scene is coming into its own.
THE MASSIVE PIECES OF DENVER STREET ART IN RINO ARE PARTICULARLY DRAWING ATTENTION, WITH WORLD-CLASS SCALE AND DETAIL.
The growth of CRUSH Walls Festival, Colorado’s largest urban art event, has generated an ever-growing community of street artists who call Denver home.
Here, we’ve rounded up a few of the best street art and street artists in Denver — just a mere handful of all the amazing murals you can spot throughout the city.
Explore the History of Chicano/a Murals
The Denver Metro area is host to a wide range of incredible Chicano murals. These have a long history in the city, and yet despite the role they’ve played in the culture, only a few years ago they were largely falling into poor shape thanks to weather, tagging, and building destruction.
That’s why Lucha Martinez de Luna created the Chicano/a Murals of Colorado Project, working with partners in city government to protect this incredible legacy.
Want to explore IRL? Check out their online mural map.
The Civil Rights Murals of Detour
Thomas Evans (aka: Detour) is a prolific street artist in Denver. His work often celebrates Black heroes who made history. He portrays his subjects in a sweeping, heroic style that you can’t help but be inspired by.
At the intersection of 40th and Franklin, you can find his enormous portrait of the late civil rights leader John Lewis, his Nina Simone portrait can be found on 27th Street, and his moving tribute to George Floyd can be found at 1975 E Colfax Ave.
Find a full list of his mural locations here.
The Surreal Street Art of Hiero Veiga
Hiero Veiga brings his signature surrealist style to all of his projects. Once you put his name to his work, you’ll probably realize you’ve seen it all over town.
The rich detail and stunning visions will inspire, provoke thought, and yes, serve as a very Insta-worthy photo op.
Why Street Art in Denver Matters
Street art has long been an important way for groups to express their own history and identity, and that’s still true today.
MURALS ARE THE REAL PROTEST ARTFORM, MAKING BIG AND BOLD STATEMENTS TO ANYONE WHO WALKS BY.
This isn’t work closed off in galleries, it’s art made for the masses.
In this respect, it’s important for the LGBTQ+ community to support street art.
Queer voices have long turned to the art form to express their desire for equality — and that desire, as well as street art itself, unites us with everyone who yearns for a life of dignity.
