"When I paint I am ageless, I just have the pleasure or the difficulty of painting."
~ Francis Bacon, painter

Colorado Business Committee
for the Arts

Leadership Arts | Denver
Congratulations to all of the April graduates of the 2007-08 class of Leadership Arts! CBCA is looking forward to hearing about your successful arts and cultural board affiliations in the future. And stay tuned for more on CBCA's upcoming Leadership Arts | Denver Alumni Network...

CBCA Behind the Scenes at Shadow Theatre Company
Join other CBCA Patron Members for Dinah Was on May 22, 2008. It is the life story of "Queen of the Blues" singer Dinah Washington, the first black woman to sing on the Las Vegas strip. Denver's own jazz performer, Rene Marie, offers an unforgettable performance as Dinah Washington. Cast talkback afterwards. Invitations will be sent to Patron companies in early May.

Hot Picks

Colorado History Museum,
Abraham Lincoln: Self-Made in America
The Abraham Lincoln: Self-Made in America bicentennial tour is a free mobile museum exhibit developed by the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum in Springfield, Illinois, and is in the parking lot of the Colorado History Museum through May 4, 2008. In honor of Lincoln's 200th birthday next year, the exhibit uses artifacts, museum displays and interactive elements to provide a narrative of the 16th president's birth into poverty in a log cabin in Kentucky to his rise as one of America's greatest leaders. For more information, please visit www.alplm.org.

Colorado Chamber Players,
The Story of Tango
The Colorado Chamber Players and bandoneonista Evan Orman present The Story of Tango May 5 – 8, 2008. Argentine tango will be featured with the music of Astor Piazzolla and Carlos Gardel and dancers from Tango Colorado. For more information, please visit www.coloradochamberplayers.org.

Friends of the Astor House Museum and Clear Creek History Park,
Taste Pies & Toss Eggs
The opening of downtown Golden's Clear Creek History Park's summer season is Saturday, May 10, 10 am – 4:30 pm. Don't miss the morning pie baking contest, the annual egg toss, games and musical entertainment—all ages can participate! For more information, please visit www.clearcreekhistorypark.org.

The Butterfly Pavilion,
Extreme Powers: Amazing Bug Abilities
Did you know that some locusts have been known to travel nearly 3,000 miles or that one type of midge can flap its wings over 1,000 times per second? Explore the powers that allow bugs to survive and play games, compete against bug records, create critters and meet some amazing animals. Workshop for ages 6 & up, preregistration required. For more information, please visit www.butterflies.org.

Colorado Symphony Orchestra,
Vivaldi Four Seasons
Violin virtuoso Scott Yoo plays and conducts classic all-time favorites of the Baroque period from Bach to Vivaldi including The Four Seasons and Brandenburg Concerto No. 1. May 9 – 11. For more information, please visit www.coloradosymphony.org.

Denver Office of Cultural Affairs, 5 Points Jazz Festival
On May 17, 2008, the 5 Points Jazz Festival celebration of Five Points' rich jazz history will offer free performances in several venues highlighting a number of Denver's finest performers from large, well-known orchestras to solo performers and emerging artists. Event Locations: Blair Caldwell African American Research Library, KUVO On-Air Studio, Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Theatre, Blackberries Ice Cream and Coffee Lounge, Crossroads Theater and Stiles African American Heritage Center. For more information, please visit www.denvergov.org.

Hot Picks continued...

10th Annual Downtown Denver Arts Festival, May 23 –26, 2008
Downtown Denver Arts Festival holds its annual fine art and fine craft exhibition featuring over 125 of Colorado's best artists each Memorial Day weekend at the downtown Denver Pavilions. For more information, please visit www.denverpavilions.com.

Denver Art Museum, Gee's Bend: The Architecture of the Quilt
This colorful exhibition features quilts made for generations by African-American women in a physically isolated farming community formed by a bend in the Alabama River. The quilts are made from old denim work clothes, recycled fabrics or scraps of corduroy used by the Freedom Quilting Bee cooperative. Gee's Bend provides insight into the moving human stories behind the quilts which involve the intertwined roles of community, family relationships, inspiration from the environment, fabric choices and pattern preferences. For more information, please visit www.denverartmuseum.org.

Colorado Historical Society, Georgetown Loop Historic Mining and Railroad Park
An engineering marvel originally built in 1884, the Georgetown Loop is located 45 miles west of Denver on I-70. The railroad fulfilled the hopes of Georgetown citizens to become a prosperous settlement connected to Denver and points east. The summer season begins May 24, 2008 and departure times for the very scenic steam train ride vary. For more information, please visit www.georgetownlooprr.com.

Free Days

Your Scientific & Cultural Facilities District (SCFD) sales tax supports free admission to cultural attractions for Colorado residents on selected days. Upcoming free days are: May 3 at the Denver Art Museum, May 2 at the Denver Botanic Gardens in Chatfield, May 3 at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science and May 8 at the Denver Center of Performing Arts for the show 3 Mo'Divas. For more information and a complete list of 2008 Free Days, visit www.scfd.org

Note From CBCA

Denver is slated to be the host for an increasing number of prestigious conventions in 2008! In addition to the Democratic National Convention at the end of August, we are pleased to highlight some very high profile arts and cultural groups also coming to town!

• American Associations of Museums,
  April 27—May 1
• National Performing Arts Convention, June 10-14
• Institute of Museum and Library Services , June 24-25