Arts & Venues Announces 2019 Urban Arts Fund Grantees

Arts & Venues Announces 2019 Urban Arts Fund Grantees
First summer project kicks off week of June 24

En español

Denver Arts & Venues is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2019 Urban Arts Fund (UAF) Grants as well as the third year of Urban Arts Fund: Engage.

UAF projects continue to grow in 2019 with more murals and more funding than in previous years, with at least 26 murals planned and more than $100,000 in funding. 

Jonathan Pucci will be creating the first summer UAF mural on Cherry Creek Trail between Market and Blake streets during the last week in June. His artwork will feature an image of African American cyclist, Marshall “Major” Taylor. Taylor is known for breaking the color barrier in 1896 by winning the half mile sprint and placing eighth in a six-day continuous race at age 18, and later setting seven world records and winning a World Championship in cycling. Media is invited to photograph the new artwork between 10 and 11 a.m. on June 27.

While the UAF was originally initiated as a graffiti prevention program, it was expanded in 2017 to increase connection between artists and the community. This group of immersion projects, known as Urban Arts Fund: Engage, focuses on community-building and social change. The UAF: Engage projects are designed to more deeply involve community members in the mural creation through several weeks of workshops and discussions. Several UAF: Engage projects have been completed with more planned in the new future. 

“The Urban Arts Fund does much more than beautify and enrich our great city,” Mayor Michael B. Hancock said. “By creating these murals, we’re able to support local talent, engage our diverse neighborhoods and attract internationally renowned street artists to Denver.”

Thirty-two Colorado artists have been selected for 2019 projects in addition to six national artists and five international artists. 

2019 Urban Arts Fund Artists
Nicholas Angelo - Denver Metro
Zach Armijo - Denver Metro
Yulia Avgustinovich - Denver Metro
Rafael Blanco - Quincy, CA
Aisha Brown - Denver Metro
Brian Butler - Miami Beach, FL
Daniel Chavez - Denver Metro
Chinny Bond - Amsterdam, Netherlands
Elijah Chong - Santa Fe, NM
Luis Fernandez (Güillo) Cruz Martes - Mayagüez, Puerto Rico
Gregg Deal - Colorado Springs
Thomas Evans - Denver Metro
Faatma Be Oné - Denver Metro
Jannah Farooque - Denver Metro
Javier Flores - Denver Metro
Conor Hollis - Denver Metro
Eddie Huang - Denver Metro
Holly Kai Hurd - Denver Metro
Angelica Jimenez - Denver Metro
Amorette Lana - Denver Metro
Josiah Lopez - Denver Metro
Ray Lopez - Denver Metro
Olivia Lucero - Denver Metro
Tamil Maldonado Vega - Mayagüez, Puerto Rico
Julio Mendoza - Denver Metro
Olive Moya - Denver Metro
Michael Ortiz - Denver Metro
Toluwanami Obiwole - Denver Metro
Lara Carolina Pagan Hidalgo - Mayagüez, Puerto Rico
LaToya Peoples - Baltimore
Jonathan Pucci - San Diego
Markus Puskar - Denver Metro
Adam Raiola - Denver Metro
Sofia Ramirez - Baltimore
Raul Regis - São Paulo, Brazil
Adolfo Romero - Denver Metro
A. Koko Sanchez - Denver Metro
Ratha Sok - Denver Metro
Thien Tai - Denver Metro
Adi Tora - Denver Metro
Jess Webb - Denver Metro
Theodore Yuritich - Denver Metro
Lindee Zimmer - Denver Metro