Denver, a city already famous for its street art, is now poised to join the ranks of Taipei, Seoul, Rotterdam and Venice in an annual celebration of muralists known as World Wide Walls. Denver Walls will take place over ten days in the city’s River North Art District, (a.k.a RiNo) promising to find a home for the works of 15 to 18 local and international muralists, street artists and graffiti masters.
The organization behind Denver Walls, which loosely coordinates nearly a dozen other mural festivals, primarily in North America and southeast Asia, has stepped in to fill the gap left by a history of underfunded and controversial local art festivals. The premise of this one is refreshingly simple: watch great artists beautify the city before your very eyes. Though the names of the 2023 Denver Wall artists have not yet been released, past RiNo heavyweights have included Kaitlin Ziesmer, Anthony Garcia Sr., Yazz and Patrick Kane McGregor.
For local artist Ally Grimm, who’s spearheading the project, Denver Walls is a festival several years in the making, after her attempts to fund the project in 2022 stalled out. Grimm is famous for her tech-forward approach to public art, so street-strollers may find augmented reality features nested within some of the pieces, while others will likely carry certified NFT status. Spectating is free, but guided art tours, workshops and NFT auctions will be available for those wanting a more interactive experience.
The Specs
- Attendance numbers are not yet known as this is a new event. Denver’s prior mural festivals attracted over 100,000 people in 2018
- Entrance is free and open to the public
- If you’re looking to go beyond River North, check out our guide to Denver street art. And here’s our guide to Colorado.
FAQs
Which airport is closest to the festival grounds?
The Denver International Airport (DEN) is 22 miles away.
What is the bag policy?
There is no explicit bag policy.
Is the festival ADA accessible?
Denver’s RiNo Art District is fully paved and easily accessible by wheelchair. There is also public transportation to and from the area.
How many cities have hosted the international mural festival, World Wide Walls?
Denver will be the 25th. The World Wide Walls event was created by Jasper Wong in 2010 and has produced public events in cities like Honolulu, Seoul and Tokyo. The Denver Walls festival is led by Denver-based muralist Ally Grimm (aka A.L. Grime).
Which artists are on the festival lineup?
The full 2023 lineup has not been released at the time of this writing.
Is Denver Walls the same as the Art RiNo mural event?
No. The new Denver Walls festival in September is replacing the Art RiNo mural event (which was a replacement for Crush Walls.)
Is this Denver event for local artists?
Denver Walls will host participating artists from all over who will create mural installations. This will include international artists as well as locals.
What is the exact address for the festival?
1320 27th St., Ste. 660, Denver, CO 80205. For more info, visit denverwalls.com.
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