Art is Part of the Experience at the Dairy Block

The multi-use space features interactive exhibits, receives nod from the CBCA

ColoradoBiz Staff //March 25, 2019//

Art is Part of the Experience at the Dairy Block

The multi-use space features interactive exhibits, receives nod from the CBCA

ColoradoBiz Staff //March 25, 2019//

Downtown Denver's Dairy Block began as the Windsor Dairy in 1920. Today, what could have been another scrape and mega development rebuild is a thoughtfully built multi-use space that combines restaurant, retail and office spaces but also contains a carefully curated collection of more than 700 pieces of art from 30 local Colorado artists. The arts throughout the Dairy Block are curated by NINE dot ARTS. Its unique way of integrating art as part of the visitor experience has made it a 2019 Colorado Business Committee for the Arts honoree. 

CBCA's business for the arts awards are presented to exemplary organizations that have gone above and beyond to support the arts and creative industries. 

"I think the type of experience that we want visitors to gain out of something like the Dairy Block is really finding moments that are a little bit unexpected or provide opportunities for discovery," Chris Roth, NINE dot ARTS' Associate Curator, says. "Part of the goal of the curation of the project was to find a way to link the past of the property up to the present and of course into the future." 

The Dairy Block is home to the Maven Hotel, Poka Lola (a vintage-style cocktail lounge), Kachina Southwestern Grill, Huckleberry Roasters, retail shops like the Perfect Petal, Blue Ruby and Warby Parker; and Milk Market, Frank Bonnano's multi-concept food hall featuring everything from wood-fired pizza to Nashville hot chicken. The alleyway is also a hotspot of activity, featuring not just eating space but daily community events. Throughout the Dairy Block, interactive art is a part of the design, whether the neon "HERE" sign or artist Nikki Pike's interactive musical cranks that feature compositions by a Colorado Symphony Orchestra musician.

Learn more about Dairy Block's commitment to the arts here: