Soak in the Vibrant Arts Scene in Adams County, CO

Vic Moss

Denver, the region’s big city neighbor, has a well-known vibrant creative community. But with an impressive range of cultural offerings, the arts scene in Adams County can certainly compete. The county spans 72 miles from east to west, and from the urban edge to the agricultural areas, communities are bursting with creativity.

The arts scene in Adams County includes a new poet laureate residency program in partnership with Anythink Libraries that brings poetry slams and workshops to the community. The arts spill into the outdoors, too, as locals can also enjoy wood carvings and colorful murals along the paths of Little Dry Creek, Clear Creek and the South Platte River Trail as part of the Art on the Trails program. 

“Adams County is a minority-majority county, with communities of all backgrounds, beliefs, lifestyles and ethnicities,” says Amy Smith, cultural arts administrator with Adams County. “And because of all of that diversity in our people, there are small pockets of local arts scenes around every corner.” 

Shining a Spotlight on the Arts

At the heart of Northglenn’s creative community is the Parsons Theatre, a 335-seat, state-of-the-art performing arts space that opened in fall 2021. More than 40,000 people attended a Parsons Theatre production or Northglenn Arts event in 2023 alone. 

Northglenn Arts has offered arts programming since 1975, says Michael Stricker arts, culture and community manager with the City of Northglenn. It has developed into a hub of cultural activity for the region, with youth theater, outdoor summer concerts and movies, visual arts exhibits and classes, and public art installations. 

The Art on Parade program is a one-year sculpture-on-loan program that’s designed to bring high-quality art to the city. Artists from throughout the country can submit pieces to be considered. A critical component of the program is the deep involvement of the community in the decision-making: The six finalists are selected by a committee that’s made up of residents and park visitors. 

After all six pieces are installed in May at E.B. Rains Jr. Memorial Park, a public vote determines the winning sculpture, which is then purchased by the Northglenn Arts and Humanities Foundation, permanently installed and gifted to the city.

“Every aspect of the program was designed to bring the art and the participant closer together,” Stricker says. “Resident and park visitors are not only able to enjoy and experience the art, but they choose what is displayed and purchased each year.” 

Bullish on Sculpting the Future 

The arts scene in Commerce City is definitely growing, thanks to a public art plan that dedicates 1% of the construction cost for capital improvement projects over $50,000 to the creation of public art. 

“Commerce City has an incredibly diverse community, one of the most diverse in metro Denver, and I think our arts scene benefits from those wide-ranging cultural influences,” says Travis Huntington, community relations manager for the city. “We are also a growing community with plenty of opportunities for artists to help shape the personality of the city as it adapts over time and also to positively impact overall quality of life here.”

The Commerce City Cultural Council is a council-appointed resident board and a nonprofit that exists to foster and promote arts and cultural experiences in the city, which they do primarily through art exhibits, the annual Music in the Park concert series each summer and the city’s public art program. 

Residents can get a feel for where the arts scene is headed in the Derby Downtown District with art-focused businesses located here, including the Magnolia Street Art Space and Gallery Sink. 

Supporting Artists in Adams County

Similar to Commerce City, the Adams County Percentage for the Arts Program dedicates 2% of construction costs for all eligible capital projects to bringing arts and culture to the area’s residents. 

The Cultural Arts division has several programs to specifically support emerging artists as well, like the Gallery at Taza Coffee House, a rotating exhibition space at the Adams County Government Center in Brighton. 

This year, Smith says, artist and poet Meca’Ayo will pair contemplative nature photography with original poetry, and Adams County native and artist Cal Duran is taking over Taza with a colorful, multimedia exhibition combining sculptural pieces and found objects. 

“Every two months, Taza visitors will encounter something fresh and exciting,” Smith says.