Denver Arts and Venues Grant Leads to New Programming at PlatteForum

PlatteForum’s Resident Artist Program, now in its 22nd year, hosts 4 unique professional artists per year, for a 6-8 week residency to create new work, to collaborate and teach youth from our award-winning ArtLab Internship Program, and to engage with the community. With the help of the grant from Denver Arts and Venues, we aim to create an enriching panel discussion series bringing together artists, activists, and youth to engage with social justice issues that matter most to them. Using a format developed by PlatteForum, these talks will allow youth to interview Resident Artists along with activists and experts who will bring cross-sector topics to the forefront such as environmentalism, racial equity, and mental health. The event will hold space for youth, artists, activists, and experts to have engaging and formative conversations about the present and futures of our communities and our world.

PlatteForum Artist Conversations will provide a platform for Resident Artists to share their work in expansive new directions, alighting conversation and critical dialogue. The event will bring people closer to the local artist talent, increasing their visibility and the depth of engagement with viewers. The conversation series will provide ArtLab Youth Interns with leadership and public speaking opportunities, along with connections to artists, activists, and experts from shared backgrounds. The broader Denver arts community will also have the opportunity to engage further with artists’ work and to participate in dialogue about issues pressing to our communities. PlatteForum’s community is primarily BILPoC, LGBTQIA+, low-income, and/or disabled/neurodivergent. ArtLab youth attend over 21 different area high schools (50% are Title 1), while Resident Artists come from Denver, the U.S., and sometimes international locations. This event will amplify youth and artist voices, connecting diverse and wide-ranging communities for a connective experience.

Below is the schedule for our Artist Conversations series with our 2024-25 Artists in Residence. Each conversation will take place at our Annex Gallery located at 3575 Ringsby Court on the TAXI Campus.

Eileen Roscina - November 15, 2024 from 6:30-8pm
Lucy Holtsnider - March 14, 2024 from 6:30-8pm
Kaylee Bender - May 9, 2024 from 6:30-8pm
Catie Michel - August 15, 2024 from 6:30-8pm

Stay up to date with us and all that we’re doing with this funding and more by subscribing to our newsletter here. Funding for this program was supported by Denver Arts & Venues and the National Endowment for the Arts through the DAV Arts & Culture Fund.