Overview

Denver Arts & Venues, in partnership with Denver Center for Performing Arts, Opera Colorado and the Colorado Ballet (“the project team”), engaged Keen Independent Research to conduct a market analysis and feasibility study reviewed the overall cultural space needs of the Denver Performing Arts Complex and the broader metro Denver arts community. This effort was part of the ongoing due diligence to critically assess the results presented in the 2016 Next Stage: A Vision Plan for the Denver Performing Arts Complex (“The Next Stage”). While a similar market analysis was conducted in 2015 to inform the venue recommendations made in The Next Stage vision plan, the project team explored the current needs four years later as new venues, cultural spaces and organizations add to the area’s cultural footprint.

Keen Independent projected demand for different types of performing arts, examined the supply of spaces suitable for performances and assessed long-term venue needs. This included analysis of resident and non-resident organizations that utilize the Denver Performing Arts Complex.

The study team held a series of workshops with representative Denver area performing arts organizations to better understand long-term needs for performance spaces.

In fall 2019, the study team identified required expansion and improvements and developed a business case for venues at the Denver Performing Arts Complex to serve the community for years to come.

Study Team

Alex Keen was the project manager for this assignment. Keen Independent was joined by local study team members Dr. Tanya Mote and Taloma Partners and national experts Victor Gotesman Performing Arts Facilities Planning, Theatre Consultants Collaborative and Venue Cost Consultants.

Schedule

The study launched in December 2018 and was completed in winter of 2019.

Final Denver Arts Community Workshop Video

On September 30th, 2019, Keen Independent hosted its final Denver arts community workshop. To view the findings from this workshop, please click here.