Top Shops To Buy Affordable Art In Denver
(credit: CBS)
There is a lot of mystery when it comes to purchasing art for your home. Simply walking into a high-end gallery can be very intimidating, and if you don't have a lot of money to spend, you may think you are out of luck. However, there are a lot of other ways that you can find affordable art options throughout Denver. From visiting art festivals to checking out the work by adult students, you'll find lots of amazing art works that you will be proud to display in your home. Here are a few of the great places to check out affordable art in Denver.
Affordable Arts Festival
Arapahoe Community College
5900 S. Santa Fe Drive
Littleton, CO 80120
(303) 330-8237
www.affordableartsfestival.com
Date: Aug. 24, 2014
For three years, the Affordable Arts Festival has been the premier place in Denver to find amazing art at incredibly low prices. With hundreds of booths scattered all over the campus of Arapahoe Community College, there will be a lot of artists and vendors set up to show their art, and everything is priced at $100 or less. It is a great chance to find new, emerging artists as well as low-cost favorites from other professional artists. Sure, the festival is a few months away, but you can start planning now to take advantage of this fantastic art festival.
Downtown Denver Arts Festival
1345 Champa St.
Denver, CO 80204
(303) 330-8237
www.downtowndenverartsfestival.com
Date: May 23-25, 2014
Another huge arts festival without the wait is the Downtown Denver Arts Festival. This festival is now in its 16th year, and is celebrating that anniversary with an even bigger and better set up at the Denver Performing Arts Complex. Held Memorial Day weekend, this festival showcases hundreds of Colorado artists as well as many from all over the country. You'll see a wide variety of price levels here, from the high end to the low end, but no matter what, you are sure to find a lot of new artists and fall in love with some new works of art.
Related: Top Art Galleries In Denver
Art Students League of Denver
200 Grant St.
Denver, CO 80203
(303) 778-6990
www.asld.org
When it comes to art, there is one way to guarantee that you will find the newest and most up-and-coming artists around – and that is by going to the schools that are teaching those artists. The Art Students League of Denver is a huge institution that has been teaching art lovers to hone their skills since 1987. The school's gallery is a great place to find lower-cost art from some impressive students. The gallery changes often and you'll find new exhibits to enjoy every few weeks. Be sure to check out the online calendar for a list of upcoming exhibits to check out and then head down to get in on the next wave of amazing new artists.
The Gallery Exchange
(720) 328-2414
www.thegalleryexchange.com
If you are looking for something original, you'll want to check out The Gallery Exchange. It is an online art gallery that both leases and sells museum-quality reproduction and original art. You can opt for the short-term rental options to rotate your art as often as you like, or if you fall in love with a piece, you can apply your leasing fee to the purchase of the work. It is an excellent way to try a piece out to see how you like it and how it will look in your home for a much lower cost than purchasing it in full, and if you don't like it, you simply return it and rent something else. It takes the guess work out of decorating your home.
Related: Top Art Walks In Denver
First Friday Art Walk
Arts District on Santa Fe
Santa Fe Drive from Alameda Ave. to 12th Ave.
Denver, CO
www.artdistrictonsantafe.com
If you are an art lover in Denver, chances are that you have heard about the First Friday Art Walks. On the first Friday of every month, art galleries around town open their doors, invite artists and welcome the public to browse the art, chat with artists and learn a bit more about their favorite works. During these First Friday Art Walks, there are even free guided shuttle coaches that will transport you to the different art districts, so you don't have to keep moving your car. And while you are checking out the art, you'll notice that there are always a lot of artists on hand with great deals and other ways to get in on an amazing art find. If you are looking to find out where art starts in Denver, then you'll want to start here.
Deborah Flomberg is a theater professional, freelance writer and Denver native. Her work can be found at Examiner.com.
