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
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Wednesday, October 21, 5:30-8pm
MAKE ART WHILE MAKING A DIFFERENCE
Grab your friends for an evening of craftacular fun! Join us for crafting in support of Women’s Bean Project. A non-profit whose mission is to provide employment, resources, and community to women on the path to self-sufficiency, their transitional employment program has empowered over 1,500 women in the Denver community since it began in 1989. Through their work making nourishing products, like delicious bean soups and spice blends, these women learn self-confidence and how to support themselves in breaking the cycle of poverty.
From nourishing food to state fair art competitions, the bean is a universally available art medium that can be used to create richly textured, colorful mosaics. Add in a biodegradable resin and you can create pins, badges, ornaments, and decorations. Plus, your bean art design could become a packaging sticker for Women’s Bean Project!
We’ll put on a pot of soup, wear our favorite sweaters, and craft for a cause. Show your support for Women’s Bean Project and get ready to explore your creativity!
All levels welcome. Materials, snacks, and beverages provided.
With this program, we are raising money for the organization that we are hosting, 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.
What is Crafty Action Society?
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 meets 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.
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
all the things i started...
October 23, 7:30 pm
The MSU Denver Dance Program and Center for Visual Art (CVA) present all the things i started… a dance event inspired by works and themes featured in CVA’s current exhibition Sequesterings. Students from the Choreography 2 course engage with this compelling exhibition through original dance works that challenge our dependency on overconsumption and throwaway culture. The performance highlights the resilience necessary to make a change and advocate for climate activism, and weaves together themes of containment and freedom, isolation and connection, identity and hope, and endangerment and celebration of the natural world. The performers invite the audience to imagine nature reclaiming its space as they journey through a landscape of recycled and repurposed dance works in all the things i started…
Please join us for this unique event, which is part of an ongoing series of collaborations between the MSU Denver dance program and CVA. all the things i started… is free and open to the public, but space is limited, so please register in advance to reserve a spot.
Parking & Transport: Important notice, roadwork on Santa Fe Drive will affect your ability to park near CVA and even though there is a small parking lot at CVA, it will likely not be open. If driving to this event, you will need to find street parking which is available in the surrounding neighborhood. Please allow extra time for this. A bike rack is available near the CVA entrance. Visitors will be asked to leave large items such as bike helmets or backpacks at the front desk. There are also public transportation options that drop off within walking distance of CVA.
For more information: Please contact Leslie Merrill Schmidt at [email protected] for more information.
Opening Reception
November 6, 6-8pm
Join CVA for a collective celebration of emerging artists at the opening reception of the Fall 2026 BFA Thesis Exhibition. This culminating showcase features graduating MSU Denver students whose work reflects bold research and deeply personal perspectives. Join us for an evening of conversation, curiosity, and creative exploration. Free and open to everyone.
Winter Artist Market
November 6 – December 12, 2026
Do your holiday shopping at CVA! Shop a curated selection of handmade goods and affordable art from local artists who have filled the CVA galleries with one-of-a-kind finds for everyone on your list.
Discover unique works of art, handcrafted jewelry, ceramic sculptures, art prints, handprinted cards, books, textiles, and so much more. Whether you’re shopping for the art lover in your life or looking for something special for yourself, there’s plenty to discover.
First Fridays
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
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.
