Events at CVA

 

CVA offers artist talks, tours, lectures, workshops, classes and much more to foster a deeper understanding of the work we have on view. Most programs are free to attend and open to all. Subscribe to CVA Happenings, our monthly newsletter, to stay in the know about our latest offerings.

Crafty Action Society

Crafty Action Society Logo

Wednesday, July 15, 5:30-8pm

MAKE ART WHILE MAKING A DIFFERENCE

 

It’s time to get crafty!

Grab your friends for an evening of craftacular fun! Join us in crafting with the Art+Action Lab, CVA’s high school internship program where artistic teens get an inside look at creative careers, learning how they operate, building relevant skills ,and connecting to a community of creative professionals.

This summer’s internship will focus on fashion, how to create it sustainably and how people use fashion as an expression of identity. In this month’s Crafty Action Society we’ll focus on fashion with visible mending. Visible mending is a creative approach to repairing clothing and bags with stitches, patches, and repairs intentionally left on display. It’s where the repair becomes a decoration and each stitch is a glorious sign of who you are, what you love, and where your clothes have been.

You will need to bring an article of clothing, or choose something from our selection of previously loved clothes, and prepare a message. The message is yours to decide, we will provide know-how and materials to guide you in extending the life of your clothing AND making them feel more like you. Don’t have an item that needs repair? Bring one that needs a new docration or embellishment, we’ve got the materials to give it new life.

Use your art and craft skills to address social justice issues. With Crafty Action Society you will:

  • Craft in community
  • Connect with local orgs activating their efforts toward social justice
  • Learn from artists already creating for activism
  • Gain access to art + craft materials
  • Develop new techniques

Crafty Action Society is a way to bring people together to learn from local organizations working for social change and to become craftivists who use creative expression to cultivate awareness and spread their message. This monthly series will meet on the 3rd Wednesday of every month. Each session will start with a presentation from a local organization about how your creativity can help their cause.⁠ After that, we’ll bring out the craft supplies and get to work creating. We’ll explore techniques from quilting and embroidery to stenciling, collage, and papier-mâché ensuring activities are accessible to beginners and more advanced makers alike. Materials, snacks, and beverages provided.

With this program, we are raising money for the organization that we are hosting and our own teen internship program. But no one will be turned away for lack of funds. Tickets are available on a sliding scale from $10 – $40 which will also cover supplies, snacks, and the assistance of our teaching staff.

Purchase Tickets

Opening Reception

August 6, 2026

CVA Member Preview: 5:30-6 pm

Public Reception: 6-8 pm

Join CVA for a celebration of our new exhibition Sequesterings. Featuring the work of 10 artists transform post-consumer and post-industrial plastic into evocative sculptures that capture a drive for environmental justice.

First Fridays

Two smiling people under a canopy in an urban setting, one with tattoos and piercings, the other with braided hair.

Art District on Santa Fe First Friday Art Walk
First Friday of every month, 6-8pm

The First Friday Art Walks are the signature event of Denver’s Art District on Santa Fe. All year round, rain or shine, the District comes alive on the first Friday of each month as thousands of visitors descend upon Santa Fe Drive to view art from hundreds of artists in galleries, studios, co-ops, upstairs, downstairs, in alleys, on the street—everywhere!

On First Fridays, CVA always has something fun happening, whether it’s vendors and cultural partners in the parking lot, fantastic exhibitions in the galleries, or art-making activities in the classroom, there’s something for everyone!

VASD Lecture

Surreal drawing with a figure in clown makeup, a skeletal figure, a bull-headed figure with corn, and a lit lantern surrounded by roses and cacti.
Falling to Print by Jacob Bautista

Visiting Artist, Scholar, Designer Lectures

The Visiting Artist, Scholar & Designer Program fosters participation and collaboration with both the institution and the MSU Denver community. An integral part of MSU Denver Department of Art’s mission, the Visiting Artist, Designer & Scholar Program is an invaluable resource for students, faculty, and the community. The program is an interdisciplinary and culturally inclusive initiative, bringing nationally and internationally renowned artists, designers, and scholars to engage with the Department of Art. All lectures are free and open to the public and take place at the Center for Visual Art.

Learn More About the VASD Program