When the students of Arapahoe Community College and the Colorado Center for the Blind opening their 10th annual collaborative exhibition this week, they join a variety of Colorado artists, asking the public to lean a little closer.

It’s a week where theaters push boundaries, event spaces transform into fashion shows, and classical music is reinvented. As the cold sets in, these cultural offerings invite us to explore not only art but also community connections.

Artistic and cultural news

Nearly 40 artists will present works meant to be touched in an exhibition bridging the gap between the blind and sighted communities.

The 10th annual Visions Partagées show in Arapahoe Community College Colorado Art Gallerycombines the work of students and alumni from ACC and the Colorado Center for the Blind.

“The whole show can be experienced through touch,” said Nathan Abels, program manager of ACC’s studio art department. “We have students experimenting with all kinds of textures, sounds and vibrations.”

The exhibition includes ceramics, sculptural paintings and performance art. All illustration labels appear in text and Braille.

“It helps us bond as a community,” Abels said. “My students discover all kinds of new ways to solve problems, new ways to experiment with the medium.”

The exhibit features 15 ceramic students, 14 painting students, and approximately 14 artists from the Center for the Blind, as well as visiting artists and alumni. A piece from the original 2014 exhibition will return for this anniversary exhibition.

The exhibition runs through December 4, with an opening reception on November 7 from 4 to 7 p.m.

Art: “Shared visions” Exhibition Opening Reception (November 7, Colorado Gallery of the Arts, Littleton)

This tactile, immersive exhibit, a collaboration between Arapahoe Community College and the Colorado Center for the Blind, allows visitors to interact with the artwork through multiple senses.

Denver Theater District (DTD) ARTcade returns with classic arcade games reimagined by local artists. More than 85 artists presented 16 arcade games and gachapon machines from the Japanese Arts Network. Pinball machines, claw machines, and artist-customized games are included. Prizes include original paintings, stickers, plush toys, handmade jewelry, buttons, outfits and much more.

The entire Denver Theater District spans 16 blocks of downtown Denver, and ARTcade is located at 1555 Champa Street in Downtown Denver. Visitors under 13 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

Another pleasure: ARTcade Immersive Experience at Denver Theater District Thursday to Sunday, 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. until December 22. The exhibit is closed on Thanksgiving Day.

Arts and cultural events across the state

Front range

Music: Swallow Hill Music’s first-ever BanjoFest (November 9, Swallow Hill Music, Denver)

Grammy-winning banjo player Dom Flemons will present the history and versatility of the banjo, in addition to giving a workshop on banjo singing and storytelling.

Music: Dom Flemons introduces the Black Cowboys (November 10, Chautauqua Auditorium, Boulder)

Grammy-winning musician Dom Flemons will perform a concert accompanying scenes from the iconic 1939 film “The Bronze Buckaroo.”

Music: Denver City Band Veterans Day Tribute (November 11, Armed Forces Garden, Westminster)

The Denver Municipal Band will honor veterans.

Theater: “Raised in Ronstadt” (November 10 and 17, eTown Hall, Boulder)

This encore of “Raised on Ronstadt,” with live music, tells the story of how the music of Linda Ronstadt inspired a young girl.

Dance: “Savoy Social: Salsa and Bachata” from the Artibus Theater» (November 8, The Savoy Denver, Denver)

This event includes a salsa and bachata class, social dancing and storytelling that will be incorporated into an upcoming theater performance in Denver’s Curtis Park/Five Points neighborhood.

Fashion: Denver Fashion Week Fall 2024 (November 9-17, The Brighton, Denver)

This multi-day event showcases a variety of fashion styles, including sustainable fashion, streetwear and couture.

Northern Colorado

Theater: OpenStage Theater & Company presents “Reefer Madness” (November 2-30, The Lincoln Center Magnolia Theater, Fort Collins)

This musical, based on the 1936 propaganda film of the same name, follows the story of two clean-cut children as they fall prey to the dangers of marijuana. Content warning: adult themes. Mature language. Mature situations. Viewer discretion is advised.

Festival: Second Saturday Creative Tour (November 9, various locations, Longmont)

This free monthly event allows visitors to participate in a variety of activities, including live music, food, shopping and art.

Southern Colorado

Art: Color your world (Opening reception November 7, The Heller Center, Colorado Springs)

Featuring the whimsical pop art of Jeresneyka Rose alongside the works of three UCCS students, this exhibition explores the power of color.

Courtesy Springs Ensemble Theater, Kate Hertz

Music: “The Romantic Voice” (November 8 and 10, Ent Center for the Arts, Colorado Springs)

The Sources Chamber Orchestra welcomes mezzo-soprano GeDeane Graham for a performance of classical music on the romantic theme of Felix Mendelssohn, Richard Wagner and Adolphus Hailstork.

Courtesy of the Sources Chamber Orchestra

Theater: Springs Ensemble Theater presents “The Thanksgiving Play” (November 7-24, The Fifty-Niner Speakeasy, Colorado Springs)

This comedic play by Native American playwright Larissa FastHorse explores the complexities of allyship, appropriation, and the absurdities that arise when well-intentioned efforts go awry.

Theater: Pikes Peak State College (PPSC) Presents “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” (November 7-10, Centennial Campus Auditorium, Colorado Springs)

This interdisciplinary musical from Pikes Peak State College, which integrates music, theater, dance and ASL interpretation, follows the stories of six teenagers navigating the ups and downs of a spelling bee.

West slope

Dance: Fall for dance (November 8 and 9, Asteria Theater, Grand Junction)

This 2-day event includes a performance of dance pieces by guest artists, faculty, community members and students. World-renowned choreographer Bill Evans and teacher Jenny Miller will create new pieces especially for students. This is the first dance show in Newly built Asteria Theater.

Another pleasure: TEDxGrandJunction 2024 (November 9, The Art Center of Western Colorado, Grand Junction)

With its theme “All Things Awesome,” this event offers a series of lectures and workshops focusing on diverse perspectives on a range of topics.

High Country

Art: Coffee and canvas: painting like Bob Ross “Southwest Serenity”” (November 9 Wright Opera House, Ouray)

This workshop offers a relaxing morning over coffee and step-by-step instructions as participants learn how to create a Bob Ross-inspired landscape painting.

Other arts and cultural events around Colorado

Some groups mentioned in CO Arts Spotlight may financially support CPR News. Financial supporters have no editorial influence.

How we select our events: CO Arts Spotlight highlights events across the state to give readers a sense of the breadth of arts and cultural events in Colorado. This is not – and cannot be – a comprehensive list of all weekly events. Entries are not endorsements or criticisms. Each week’s list is published on Thursday and is not updated.