About

Denver is a top tier city for arts and culture and its residents share great pride in the creative spirit that is alive in the Mile High City. Nowhere is this more evident than at the Denver Performing Arts Complex, a 12-acre campus of theaters and public spaces in the heart of downtown.

The site of the Arts Complex has a long and noteworthy history as a cultural and civic center for metropolitan Denver, the state of Colorado, and the entire Rocky Mountain region. Owned and Operated by Denver Arts & Venues, the campus continues to serve as a vibrant cultural hub and gathering place for our community today.

It's home to four esteemed performing arts institutions – Colorado Ballet, Colorado Symphony, Denver Center for the Performing Arts and Opera Colorado – and plays a welcoming host to many national acts and local groups, festivals, conferences, public events and more.

About Denver Arts & Venues 

Arts & Venues is a social-cultural enterprise with the central purpose of supporting and investing in our thriving communities through grant programs, sector leadership and cultural and entertainment events within our venues and throughout the city. Our enterprise business model raises revenue through the operation of Denver’s iconic venues which allows us to maintain our venues and fulfill our mission.

• Mission Statement: Arts & Venues enriches and advances Denver’s quality of life and economic vitality through the advancement of arts, cultural, and entertainment opportunities for all. 
• Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Commitment: Arts & Venues is committed to equity, diversity and inclusion as a fundamental guiding value and a practice weaved into all of our strategies, initiatives and decision-making processes. An equity practice supports our social and cultural purpose through the activation of our venues, leadership work and cultural investments. From public art selection panels and grantmaking programs to increasing access to our venues, we are committed to supporting Denver’s thriving and diverse communities.  

Our Commitment to Denver

Arts & Venues, Colorado Ballet, Colorado Symphony, Denver Center for the Performing Arts and Opera Colorado are proud to contribute to Denver's cultural legacy through our collective efforts at the Arts Complex and throughout metro Denver. We've combined our individual information into an annual report to illustrate our impact and commitment to Denver and our region. 

• We create access to great art in our communities
• Our educational mission is as important as our artistic mission
• We value community input and thrive when we collaborate
• Live performances are vital to the region's economy  

2018-2019 Public Impact Statement

Our Sustainability Efforts

Arts & Venues closely aligns with the City of Denver’s Climate Action goals to ensure that we mitigate our environmental impact and our public art and cultural events can be enjoyed for many years to come. We accomplish this through a comprehensive waste diversion strategy and continually improving the efficiency of our buildings.

Waste Diversion:

• Three-bin waste collection systems are located throughout the complex so patrons can sort recycling and compost from the trash. In addition, a sorting team then works to eliminate contamination to ensure that recycling and compost can be processed by our waste hauler.
• The Arts Complex has recently partnered with Compost Colorado, who now collects and processes all compost from the campus. Compost Colorado or “CoCo” is a local, employee-owned, community focused company.
• Our theatres are joining the reuse movement, in collaboration with r.Cup. Reusable r.Cups are not unlike the regular dishware that we all have in our homes- beverages will be served in reusable polypropylene cups, then collected, sanitized and used over and over again. These cups can be reused hundreds of times, making it much more sustainable than single-use plastic or aluminum. We are excited to launch this initiative and the success of the program depends heavily on patron support. Please do your part by returning used r.Cups at the venue so they can be reused again. 
• We highly encourage partners to utilize recyclable or certified compostable (BPI or CMA) packaging.
• Patrons and staff are permitted to bring empty, reusable water bottles for use at filling stations within the venues.

Energy Efficiency:

• The Buell Theatre façade was replaced in 2021 with energy efficient glass to increase HVAC efficiency, lower energy costs and greenhouse gas emissions. These renovations resulted in a 38% reduction in electricity consumption in 2023 compared to a 2019 baseline.
• In order to improve building efficiency and comply with the Energize Denver ordinance, the Arts Complex has brought in a consultant to conduct a comprehensive energy performance audit. This project will help guide future facility improvements to ensure that our buildings operate sustainably and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
• Energy efficient LED lighting has been replaced throughout venues. Replacing and/or adding new LED fixtures in the garage is underway.