DESIGN BY COLORADO EXHIBIT OPENS AT DIA
Highlighting the Talent and Economic Vitality of the
Creative Capital of the Rocky Mountain West

DENVER – September 7, 2011 – From furniture to housewares to fashion, Denver and the whole of Colorado, boasts unique and creative enterprises that foster innovation, support our quality of life, and provide jobs for talented and highly skilled workers. Now through February 2012, the nearly 52 million visitors that pass through Denver International Airport (DIA) annually can see this work on display at the Design by Colorado exhibit.

DIA’s Art and Culture Program, Arts & Venues Denver’s Create Denver initiative, and Colorado Creative Industries, are putting 28 of Colorado’s talented local designers on display in the Charles Ansbacher Hall, located between Jeppesen Terminal and A Gates security screening, just in time for the fall and holiday travel seasons. Design by Colorado kicks off the 2012 Year of Design at DIA, in which the airport’s temporary exhibitions will feature design, connecting viewers to this diverse and vibrant field.

A variety of works will be on display in the categories of furniture design, interior design, game/technology design, fashion, industrial/product design, and graphic design. Pieces from talents such as Covelo Clothing, Ellen Bruss Design, Icelantic Skis and Where Wood Meets Steel, are just a few examples of the 28 artists and businesses on display at Design by Colorado. Look for everything from the Boppy™ baby pillow to handcrafted custom-made skis to cutting edge mobile games. For a complete list, visit www.designbycolorado.net.

“Creative enterprises account for 6.4% of the total businesses in Denver, employing over 19,000 creative workers,” said Mayor Michael Hancock. “This sector is not only vital to our economy, but also contributes to our culture and character as the Creative Capital of the Rocky Mountain West. Where better to showcase Denver’s talented creative sector to millions of tourists, business travelers, and residents than at DIA, the gateway to the region.”

“Colorado’s creative sector is robust and embodies the Western spirit of entrepreneurialism, innovation and collaboration, producing the high-quality works seen in this exhibition and enjoyed locally and nationwide, said Governor John Hickenlooper. “There are tangible and intangible benefits of a strong creative sector, including providing unique cultural experiences for residents and tourists, enhancing Colorado’s brand, promoting neighborhood vibrancy, generating jobs, and attracting a talented workforce.”
 

Creative Industries in Colorado

• Constitutes the state’s 5th largest employment cluster
• Includes more than 186,000 jobs
• Accounts for $5 billion in employee earnings
• Colorado is 5th in the nation in concentration of creatives
• Creative enterprises are well-distributed in communities across the state
• Creative businesses are growing faster here than in other states
• Design, literary and publishing, and film and media represent 73% of all creative industry jobs

Colorado Creative Industries in Denver

• $1.46 billion in economic activity is generated by nonprofit arts and culture organizations in Metro Denver*
• 19,109 creative workers in the City of Denver; between 2008 and 2009, Denver generated 1,000 new jobs linked to the creative economy, representing a 6% increase**
• 2,878 creative enterprises in the City of Denver, accounting for 6.39% of the total businesses located in Denver***
• More than 100 galleries and eight distinct arts districts in the City of Denver
• 160 performance venues of all sizes
• More than 180 film-related businesses

Sources:
*2010 Economic Activity Study of Metro Denver Culture, Colorado Business Committee for the Arts
**2010 Denver Creative Vitality Index, WESTAF
***2011 Creative Industries Report, Americans for the Arts

Thank you to our project partners: MATTER, Atter Inc., HDNet, Colorado Studios, Dennis O'Brien, Modern in Denver.

Arts & Venues Denver’s mission is to enhance Denver’s quality of life and economic vitality through premier public venues, artwork and entertainment opportunities. Create Denver is an economic development initiative of Arts & Venues Denver that seeks to strengthen the overall health and vitality of Denver by supporting the growth and development of the creative sector.

Colorado Creative Industries: Our natural beauty and creative spirit have made Colorado a magnet for creative enterprises and creative workers. Colorado Creative Industries was established as a division of the state Office of Economic Development and International Trade to promote, support and expand the creative industries, thereby driving Colorado’s economy, creating jobs, and enhancing our quality of life. Colorado Creative Industries sees a future in which Colorado is a premier creative economy with significant and sustained support, and where creative entrepreneurs and enterprises flourish with a robust creative workforce. For more information on Colorado Creative Industries visit www.coloradocreativeindustries.org.
.
Denver International Airport (DIA): Denver International Airport is home to world a renowned collection of public art, funded by the City and County of Denver’s “one percent for art” requirement for public facilities.  The airport’s Art and Culture Program features 27 site-specific works and includes sculptures, murals and other installations.  The pieces are displayed in outdoor landscapes, inside Jeppesen Terminal and on airport concourses, as well as in the train tunnels and on the train itself.  In addition to the permanent art collection, DIA curates temporary exhibitions, collaborating with museums, cultural institutions and arts organizations to present the highest quality two- and three-dimensional work.  For more information on DIA’s public art program and its temporary exhibitions, visit www.flydenver.com/art.