Denver Art Museum

09/05/2026

Photography can change how we see the world and our place within it.

We are proud to launch the first biennial James Balog Earth Vision Award, a new program supporting photographers who are documenting environmental transformation and the human experience within nature.

Award recipients will receive significant funding, and selected works will become part of the DAM's photography collection, helping preserve these critical stories for future generations.

Apply now through October 1!

Image: James Balog, "Fire Plume #5, Missoula, Montana, USA," 2015

Learn more here: https://www.denverartmuseum.org/en/james-balog-earth-vision-awards

09/05/2026

Visit the DAM this Labor Day Weekend to escape the summer heat and see art from around the world without leaving Denver! Use code SUMMER26 to get $2 off general admission through September 30.

All exhibitions currently on view are included in general admission, which is free for everyone 18 and under (thanks to our Free for Kids program), as well as for museum members.

At the Shops at the museum this weekend (September 5-7), spend $50 and receive a free DIVA fan! In-store only, while supplies last.

The DAM is open regular hours this weekend, including Labor Day (Monday, September 7) from 10am to 5pm.

Plan your visit here: https://bit.ly/3vy6zPT

Free for Kids is presented by Bellco Credit Union with additional support from Cathedral Fund in honor of Rand Ningali.

09/03/2026

We want to hear your thoughts! Throughout September, the DAM is conducting a visitor survey in partnership with the Getty Foundation to better understand what visitors need, want, and expect from arts and cultural experiences during this time of rapid change.

The survey takes just 5–8 minutes to complete, and by sharing your thoughts, you’ll have a chance to win a $100 gift card!

Take the survey here: https://bit.ly/4h3w8Ax

08/31/2026

You won't want to miss this fall's lineup of exhibitions at the DAM and throughout Denver! Learn more about our upcoming exhibitions "Storytellers: The Blackfeet Nation and Charles M. Russell," opening this weekend, and DIVA, opening October 4, and others via The Denver Post: https://dpo.st/4zMf8WP

"Storytellers" is included with general admission, DIVA requires an additional ticket. Get tickets for DIVA here: https://bit.ly/441c8I5

A head start on fall art.

08/31/2026

We are deeply saddened by the passing of Colorado artist Martha Daniels last weekend.

There are over 50 works by Daniels in the collection of the Denver Art Museum, in both our Modern & Contemporary collection as well as The Kirkland collection. One of her works, “Green Tower,” 1999-2000, is currently on view at The Kirkland. Hugh Grant, Founding Director & Curator Emeritus of The Kirkland, collected and gifted all of the works by Daniels in the collection, championing an artist whose talent he deeply admired throughout her career.

For the majority of her career, Martha Daniels lived in Colorado, and had shown her work most frequently at Colorado's preeminent arts institutions. Not long after she moved to Denver, from Greece, where she briefly lived with her husband in the 1960s, Daniels's work was included in the 1975 and 1978 Colorado Annual invitational exhibitions at the Denver Art Museum. Her work has also been included in exhibitions at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Denver, the Arvada Center for the Arts, and The Kirkland (formerly known as the Kirkland Museum of Fine and Decorative Arts). In 2000, Daniels installed an immersive exhibition of 25 of her sculptures, which she called "GROTTO," in the DAM's Close Range Gallery. Throughout her career, Daniels' work has been exhibited alongside that of other prominent Colorado ceramists, such as Betty Woodman and Maynard Tischler, and others who spent time working in Aspen, such as Paul Soldner.

Image Credits:
Artwork 1 (images 1-3): Martha Daniels, "Three Gold and Green Towers," 1997. Ceramic; 77-1/2 x 60 in. Funds from Polly and Mark Addison and the Alliance for Contemporary Art, 1997.146. © Martha Daniels
Artwork 2 (image 4): Martha Daniels, "Spring Plant Form," 2000. Ceramic; 20 x 36 x 14-1/4 in. Gift from Mary Jo Keller, 2014.296 © Martha Daniels

08/29/2026

At a time when environmental stories are more important than ever, photography remains one of the most powerful tools for understanding our world.

Our new James Balog Earth Vision Award supports artists who use photography to document ecological change, inspire dialogue, and expand our understanding of humanity's relationship with nature. Presented by the Denver Art Museum, the biennial award includes a $40,000 First Prize and a $25,000 Finalist Prize, with selected works joining the DAM's photography collection.

Applications for this year will open September 1, 2026, and will close October 1, 2026.

Learn more here: https://www.denverartmuseum.org/en/james-balog-earth-vision-awards

Image: Trent Davis Bailey, Compost, Paonia, Colorado, 2015. Inkjet print; 32 7/8 x 40 7/8 inches. Denver Art Museum: Gift of the artist, 2024.148. © Trent Davis Bailey

08/29/2026

Connect with local artist Hana Kim this Saturday (and the following 3 Saturdays) during Studio Saturdays in the Cosmic Studio at the DAM! She will be in the Studio from noon to 3pm on August 29 and September 5, 12, and 19.

Artist demonstrations and all artmaking activities in the Studio are included in general admission, which is FREE for everyone 18 and under, as well as for museum members.

Hana Kim is a Korean textile artist and founder of Lightdance Bojagi—Where Light Becomes Cloth. Her work is inspired by Korea’s centuries-old textile tradition. Working with Korean Mosi (ramie), raw silk, and traditional sewing techniques, she creates contemporary Bojagi that explores the interplay of light, color, and cloth. Her work honors the resourcefulness of Joseon-era women, who transformed precious fabric scraps into beautiful and functional textiles, while reimagining this historic tradition through a contemporary artistic lens.

During her demonstrations, you are invited to participate in creating a collaborative textile moon. Participants will stitch free-form patterns with silk and gold thread onto gray silk, and Hana Kim will transform the stitches into moon craters.

The Cosmic Studio draws inspiration from artists across time and space and invites visitors to experience the future of art through three hands-on activities. You’ll paint, weave, and dream your way into the deepest reaches of human creativity, then return more connected to yourself and the worlds around you.

Cover photo courtesy of the artist.

Learn more here: https://www.denverartmuseum.org/en/calendar/demo-artist-hana-kim

08/27/2026

The Denver Art Museum is a proud supporter of the annual Colorado Dragon Boat Festival, happening this weekend, August 29 and 30 at Sloans Lake Park in Denver!

Visit the DAM’s booth at the festival to enjoy free hands-on artmaking activities and take home some free goodies (including tickets to visit the museum)! The festival is free to attend and includes cultural performances (live music, dancing), and more.

Saturday, August 29: 10am - 7pm
Sunday, August 30: 10am - 5pm
(Race starts at 8am both days)

Learn more: https://www.cdbf.org/

08/25/2026

We are deeply saddened by the loss of legendary performer and iconic diva Dolly Parton.

Starting life in a one-room cabin with 11 siblings in rural Tennessee, Dolly Parton epitomized a rags-to-riches story. A songwriter at heart, Parton taught herself guitar at age seven, recorded her first single at age 13, and wrote over 3,000 songs during her seven-decade career. She had gone on to produce hits on the country, pop, and rock charts and received an Oscar nomination for her role in "9 to 5" (1980).

An author and philanthropist, Dolly Parton is known for donating books to children through her foundation’s Imagination Library. She had also reportedly donated more than $500 million over her lifetime to charitable causes. In 1986, she opened Dollywood, a theme park that brought thousands of jobs to the area of Tennessee where she grew up.

We are grateful for the creativity and inspiration Dolly Parton shared with the world and are honored to celebrate her legacy in our upcoming DIVA exhibition.

Image: Country singer Dolly Parton, circa 1970. (Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)

08/24/2026

OPPORTUNITY FOR INDIGENOUS ARTISTS AGES 12-25!

We are seeking emerging Indigenous-identifying artists ages 12–25 to showcase their work at the Denver Art Museum in our next annual community showcase: Indomitably Indigenous.

Inspired by our partner organization, Honoring Our Mother Earth (H.O.M.E), we invite artists to create work that calls attention to intergenerational healing that connects with the land, environmental stewardship, and nature-based cultural traditions. Submit 1–3 pieces (2D, 3D, digital, fashion, or traditional—yes, beadwork too!). Exhibition dates are Oct 23, 2026 – Jan 7, 2027 and includes a professional development day and community reception.

Learn more and apply here: https://bit.ly/3zFv5Eh

Photos from our last Indomitably Indigenous exhibition.