Mayor Mike Johnston and Denver Arts & Venues Announce 2024 Mayor’s Awards for Excellence in Arts & Culture

 

DENVER – Mayor Mike Johnston, Denver Arts & Venues and the Denver Commission on Cultural Affairs are pleased to announce the recipients of the 2024 Mayor’s Awards for Excellence in Arts & Culture.

 

Presented since 1986, the Mayor’s Awards for Excellence in Arts & Culture recognize individuals and organizations that make significant and lasting contributions to the arts in the City and County of Denver.

 

“Denver’s art scene is as vibrant and alive as the city itself,” said Mayor Mike Johnston. “The innovative, awe-inspiring work represented here honors our culture, challenges our perspectives, and reflects the range of creative brilliance in our city. We hope these awards serve as even a small token of our enormous appreciation to these artists and institutions for their contributions to make Denver better and brighter.”

 

Five artists and organizations were honored at a luncheon where they were presented with artwork created by Chris Wilburn from Access Gallery. Additionally, each honoree received a $2,500 stipend to continue their work in Denver’s cultural sector.

 

ARTS & CULTURE IMPACT AWARD

Award Winner: Colorado Dragon Boat

This award is presented to an individual or an organization that has made a significant and lasting impact on arts and culture in the City and County of Denver, with at least 10 years of history in the arts in the City and County of Denver.

 

The Colorado Dragon Boat Festival, which began in 2001 at Sloan's Lake Park in Denver, has evolved from a one-day event with 16,000 attendees into the largest Dragon Boat Festival in the U.S., attracting over 200,000 visitors over two days. Originally conceived by three community leaders to celebrate the diverse and growing Asian community, the festival now features nearly 50 competitive teams, over 30 food vendors, a marketplace, a children's area and more than 60 cultural performances.

 

ARTS & CULTURE YOUTH AWARD

Award Winner: In Lak’ech Denver Arts

This award is presented to an individual or organization that has significantly impacted the lives of youth in the City and County of Denver through the arts, or a young person who has made a noteworthy difference in the community through the arts.

 

In Lak’ech Denver offers an array of youth programming at the Re:Vision Gallery office in Westwood and nearby neighborhoods in Southwest Denver. They offer free weekly classes to youth in a wide variety of media including a Folklorico Dance program, a Youth Mariachi Group, photography, puppetry, papier-mâché, ceramics, and visual arts classes, all led by talented local BIPOC artists. These classes allow students to delve into their ancestry, creating traditional art forms and crafting installations and performances for community cultural events.

 

ARTS & CULTURE INNOVATION AWARD

Award Winner: Museum for Black Girls

This award is presented to an individual or organization that is breaking new ground in the arts and whose contribution to innovation in the arts has been significant in 2022 or 2023.

 

Museum for Black Girls centers the experiences and perspectives of Black girls in their exhibitions and events. The museum's innovative approach to curating exhibitions, storytelling, and community engagement sets it apart as a cultural leader. Through its creative programming and collaborations, the museum pushes boundaries and inspires new ways of thinking about art and identity. By fostering a culture of innovation, Museum for Black Girls continues to shape the future of arts and culture, ensuring that Black girls' voices are heard and celebrated on a national stage.

 

ARTS & CULTURE JEDI (JUSTICE, EQUITY, DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION) AWARD

Award Winner: Courtney Ozaki

This award is presented to an individual or organization that has focused on justice, equity, diversity and inclusion (JEDI) through their work.

 

Courtney Ozaki is a third and fourth generation Japanese American and founder of the Japanese Arts Network (JA-NE). Founded in 2018, JA-NE provides access to resources, programs, and platforms that support, advance, and strengthen visibility for Japanese artists and culture in America. Courtney also co-founded the Western Arts Alliance ‘Hyphen+Asian’ committee, a collective of Asian Pacific Islander community members with a shared interest in advancing API engagement, opportunity, intersectionality, equity, and programming in the performing arts across the West. Her deep connections in the community have enriched the lives of countless Denverites.

 

ARTS & CULTURE GLOBAL AWARD:

Award Winner: Museo de las Americas

This award is presented to an individual or organization that has brought Denver’s arts and culture to the national or world stage. Nominees for this category have received national or international recognition.

 

Museo De Las Americas is dedicated to educating the community through collecting, preserving, interpreting, and exhibiting the diverse Latin American arts and cultures, from ancient to contemporary, through innovative exhibitions and programming. Museo showcases the best of Latin American and Indigenous art and culture to visitors from around the world, offers a wide variety of educational programs, and strives to create a space where all Denverites can learn about and appreciate diverse cultures.

 

For more on these and past winners, including videos highlighting their accomplishments, visit ArtsandVenues.com.
 

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About Denver Arts & Venues
Denver Arts & Venues’ mission is to enrich Denver’s quality of life and economic vitality through the advancement of arts, culture and entertainment opportunities for all. Denver Arts & Venues operates Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Denver Performing Arts Complex, Colorado Convention Center, Denver Coliseum, Theatre at Loretto Heights and McNichols Civic Center Building, using proceeds from events at these venues to run and maintain these facilities and to provide access to art for all through free and low-cost community events, grants for artists and arts organizations, public art and art education. Using Good Times, For Good. For more information, visit www.ArtsandVenues.com