The SCFD (Scientific and Cultural Facilities District) has long maintained a commitment to the diverse audiences that enjoy the arts in Colorado. This 1/10^th of one percent sales tax in the seven-county metro area provides funds to more than 300 non-profit cultural organizations, some of whom highlight the achievements and culture of African Americans. These cultural institutions have more in common than just a focus on a traditionally marginalized and underserved community. They are all community builders dedicated to preserving the rich history and cultural contributions of an underrepresented population. Support from the SCFD has helped them to gain greater visibility for nearly 40 years.

Black American West Museum & Heritage Center

3091 California St., Denver
Friday and Saturday 10am-2pm

Located in the former home of Dr. Justina Ford, Denver’s first licensed Black female doctor, the Black American West Museum & Heritage Center highlights the achievements of African Americans in the growth and expansion of Colorado and the American West. Its collections include historical artifacts, and its programs educate the entire community about the significant but often overlooked role played by Blacks not only as cowboys but also as pioneers, settlers, ranchers, and miners.

Cleo Parker Robinson Dance, Granny Dances to a Holiday Drum. Photo by Jerry Metellus

Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Company

19 Park Avenue West, Denver
Performance and class times vary

Guided by the philosophy “One spirit, many voices,” Cleo Parker Robinson founded this internationally renowned dance company to promote artistic excellence, foster community, and promote social justice, especially for African Americans. It provides multicultural and intergenerational performances and classes for all dancers that pay homage to the diverse rhythms and traditions of movement of the greater African diaspora.

Photo courtesy of the Colorado Black Arts Festival

Colorado Black Arts Festival

City ParkWest, 1700 City Park Esplanade, Denver
July 10-12, 2026

This annual festival highlights the culture and artistic talents of African Americans in Colorado. It celebrates the visual and performing arts, promotes community engagement, nurtures cultural pride, and fosters understanding and unity among all Coloradoans.

Davis Contemporary Dance Company

Davis Contemporary Dance Company

4814 E. Kentucky Ave., Denver
Performance and class times vary

Through its commitment to “Dance that feeds your soul,” this company focuses on dance as a vehicle for community building, multicultural understanding, professional development, and personal growth. In addition to public performances, it also provides quality pre-professional dance instruction, featuring a variety of styles of movement with contemporary jazz as a cornerstone.

Kutandara

5450 Western Ave, Boulder
Concert and class times vary

Based in Boulder, CO, Kutandara’s mission is to use music to elevate personal and cultural wellbeing through the healing power of music. Its primary focus is on providing opportunities to foster community primarily through exposure to Southern African Culture through concerts and marimba and drumming instruction. The public is invited to observe open classes, which generally take place in the evenings after 4pm; check the website for details.

Sacred Voices

• The Writers Room: 3844 York St., Denver
• Sacred Voices Open Mic LIVE: 2101 Arapahoe St., Unit 1, Denver
  Held on the second Friday of every month • 6:30-8:30pm

The mission of Sacred Voices is to empower BIPOC youth as community leaders though creative expression. The organization uses poetry and spoken word to imbue them with leadership skills, confidence, and cultural pride. Sacred Voices offers ongoing poetry workshops and open mic nights to showcase the work of their participants.

The Word – A Storytelling Sanctuary

757 E 20th Ave Ste. 370-335, Denver
Program dates & times vary

This literary organization seeks to provide opportunities for traditionally underserved communities to develop their voices and tell their own stories. It works to identify, develop, and secure more expansive pathways to publication in order to create a more diverse literary landscape. To that end, it connects writers to other writers, mentors, agents, publishers, and booksellers thereby creating more equal access to an industry that has too often ignored or marginalized the efforts of the BIPOC community.

SCFD is the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District, a sales & use tax collected and distributed to nearly 300 cultural organizations in our seven-county Denver metro region.

Twanna LaTrice Hill is a teaching artist, actor and director who has published works of fiction and nonfiction and penned two plays that have been produced and performed in the Denver metro area. Princeton/Harvard/Regis educated and a trained Sovietologist, she is currently seeking representation for her first memoir, What’s Done in the Dark.