Denver Invests in its Culture

As predicted, Denver voters gave a powerful affirmation to its cultural facilities (see Denver Voters Have Historically Valued Their Cultural Institutions). In the recent $117 million bond election, a spectacular 71 percent of voters said “yes.”

Seventy-three percent of Denver voters supported renewal of the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District a year earlier (November 2016), the money from which goes to operations of the facilities, including public access such as free days, art, culture and science programs and exhibits.

Cultural facilities pledged their own fundraising efforts. Improvements expected at the Denver Art Museum are new welcoming and education facilities with renovation of the historic Ponti Building; the Denver Botanic Gardens’ new science, art and education center; the Denver Zoo’s new animal hospital; the Denver Center for Performance Arts theater renovations; and improvements in the Denver Museum of Nature and Science core facilities.