Colorado Photographic Arts Center

Colorado Photographic Arts Center The Colorado Photographic Arts Center is a non-profit organization supporting the photographic arts. All of our exhibitions are free and open to the public.

The Colorado Photographic Arts Center (CPAC) is the only nonprofit organization in Denver dedicated exclusively to the art of photography. Founded in 1963, we serve as a resource center where photographers can learn new skills, pursue their artistic vision, build community, and seek inspiration and creative growth. CPAC hosts 7-10 high-quality exhibitions each year that showcase the finest example

s of contemporary photography from local and national artists. We offer classes and workshops year-round at affordable rates, taught by a faculty of established artists and industry professionals. We offer resources for artists, including a darkroom and digital lab. Finally, we organize more than 50 events each year to engage the broader Denver community, including artist talks, gallery openings, Final Fridays, workshops, and the Month of Photography Denver Festival. Learn more about our organization by visiting cpacphoto.org.

Our artist spotlight for today is Mat Bobby⁠! His piece, "La Charra in Red", will be shown at CPACs Annual Member Show f...
06/18/2026

Our artist spotlight for today is Mat Bobby⁠! His piece, "La Charra in Red", will be shown at CPACs Annual Member Show from June 26th-August 1st. ⁠

Bobby states "I'm drawn to people: what they do and what they care about. I don't have to share someone's interests to be interested in them; while I'm with someone, I care. I'm equally drawn to the things people leave behind, the objects that say someone was here.⁠"⁠
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Come see Bobby's piece, alongside other fantastic work in person! ⁠The Opening Reception will be held in the CPAC Gallery on June 27th, 5-8pm.

Photo Credit: "⁠La Charra in Red" by ©Mat Bobby

Our 2026 Annual Member Show opens soon!⁠ This exhibition officially opens Friday the 26th, with the Opening Reception on...
06/17/2026

Our 2026 Annual Member Show opens soon!⁠ This exhibition officially opens Friday the 26th, with the Opening Reception on Saturday, June 27th 5-8pm.

Here is "Out", a piece featured in the show, by Alexandra Sheremet.⁠
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Alexandra writes, "No longer just a luxury of self-expression - a physical necessity to process and reconcile and cope - making physical prints is a grounding practice."⁠
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For more info on our Members' Show, or to purchase an exhibition catalog: https://cpacphoto.org/2026-annual-members-show/
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Image Credit: ©Alexandra Sheremet

Join us in the gallery on July 8th at 6:30pm for an in-person PhotoVox presentation — ⁠'Gallery Ready: How to Approach, ...
06/17/2026

Join us in the gallery on July 8th at 6:30pm for an in-person PhotoVox presentation — ⁠'Gallery Ready: How to Approach, Impress, and Exhibit'.⁠
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For July's PhotoVox, we will host a candid conversation with Collin Parsons Director of Galleries and Curator at the Arvada Center, Todd Herman founding director of East Window Gallery, and CPAC Executive Director & Curator Samantha Johnston. This panel will offer practical advice and insights into the exhibition process with local spaces.⁠
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Register now: https://cpacphoto.org/photovox-july-2026-gallery-ready-how-to-approach-impress-and-exhibit/

Image Credit: Mailyn Pulido

We're happy to kick off our 2026 Annual Member Show! The show will be on display in the CPAC gallery from June 26th to A...
06/16/2026

We're happy to kick off our 2026 Annual Member Show! The show will be on display in the CPAC gallery from June 26th to August 1st.

Juror Brian Piper, Ph.D., the Freeman Family Curator of the Photographs, Prints, and Drawings at the New Orleans Museum of Art (NOMA), selected photographs by 32 CPAC members to exhibit. He also selected 20 additional works for inclusion as a Special Mention subset.

Throughout the exhibition, we will be highlighting each artist whose work has been selected. Today, we look at Dustin Riggs' piece, 'Light on the Lake'.

Riggs speaks about this piece, "'Light on Lake' is part of a larger body of work called Sleepwalking in the Cascades. Over the last ten years I have let my local mountains dictate the direction I take the project As our access to public lands becomes more uncertain, I seek to highlight the timeless importance of wild places. These places have existed for Millenia, and will continue to exist when I am long gone."
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❯ Opening Reception: June 27th 5-8pm⁠
❯ On display June 26th - August 1st⁠
❯ Gallery Hours: Tuesday - Friday 11am-5pm & Saturday 12pm-4pm⁠

Photo Credit: 'Light on Lake' ©Dustin Riggs

This week is the last chance to see our current exhibition, Western Cowboy: Reloaded! It will be on display in the CPAC ...
06/15/2026

This week is the last chance to see our current exhibition, Western Cowboy: Reloaded! It will be on display in the CPAC Gallery until this Saturday, June 20th.

The symbol of the cowboy reflects a complex history shaped by Indigenous presence, Hispanic traditions, and the realities of ranch and rodeo life. This exhibition looks beyond the singular icon of the cowboy to reveal the layered realities of the region and the communities who have shaped it. ⁠
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Featuring the work of 6 Colorado-based artists: ⁠Juan Fuentes, Constance Jaeggi, Amanda Lopez Jack Ludlam, Rob Hammer, and Ian Warren.

We hosted multiple Artist Talks alongside this exhibition, with the audio recordings available here: https://cpacphoto.org/western-cowboy-reloaded/

Gallery Hours:⁠
❯ Tuesday - Friday: 11am-5pm⁠
❯ Saturday: 12pm-4pm⁠

Image Credit: ©Juan Fuentes

06/15/2026

In our recent workshop, ‘Introduction to Cyanotype’ with Kimberly Chiaris, students got to experiment with printing with objects and digital negatives, to create unique cyanotype prints!

Join us for ‘Cyanotype Level 2’ on August 23rd for a more advanced look at this process.

Our first Teen Street Photography & Street Portraiture Workshop was a wonderful success!⁠⁠The first week of June, Kennet...
06/15/2026

Our first Teen Street Photography & Street Portraiture Workshop was a wonderful success!⁠
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The first week of June, Kenneth Wajda took the students on a photo walk around downtown Denver to practice their photography skills. The students were naturals and able to make lots of beautiful work!⁠
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If you are interested in signing yourself or someone else up for one of Colorado Photographic Arts Center's workshops, you can view our upcoming offerings here: https://cpacphoto.org/education/

Photo credits:
First 5 images - Kenneth Wajda
Second 5 - Students

We are just a couple weeks away from the Deadline to submit to 'Show Us Your Downtown'!'Show Us Your Downtown' is an onl...
06/14/2026

We are just a couple weeks away from the Deadline to submit to 'Show Us Your Downtown'!

'Show Us Your Downtown' is an online juried exhibition celebrating Colorado’s 150th anniversary of statehood!⁠ In honor of this milestone year, we invite residents from across Colorado to explore and share the downtowns that define their communities. ⁠

❯ Application Closes: Tuesday, June 30th, 11:59pm MDT⁠
❯ Online Exhibition: August 21st – December 31st, 2026⁠
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To submit your work: https://cpacphoto.org/celebrate-co-photo-competition-submit-june-30-2026/
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Image Credit: McCory James ()

We have a new offering in the darkroom! 𝗗𝗿𝗼𝗽-𝗜𝗻 𝗙𝗶𝗹𝗺 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 is a supervised community darkroom session for photograp...
06/13/2026

We have a new offering in the darkroom!

𝗗𝗿𝗼𝗽-𝗜𝗻 𝗙𝗶𝗹𝗺 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 is a supervised community darkroom session for photographers who already understand the basics of black-and-white film processing and want to continue developing film at CPAC.⁠

Participants will bring their own exposed rolls of black-and-white film and work independently in the darkroom, with guidance available from Em Warnock.

The first session is Wednesday, July 22nd, 5:30-8:30pm. Sign up here: https://cpacphoto.org/drop-in-film-developing-nights-at-cpac-july-22nd/

Image Credit: CPAC Staff

06/12/2026

We had so much fun in our Cyanotype workshop last weekend!

In ‘Introduction to Cyanotype’, instructor Kimberly Chiaris taught students the process of Cyanotype printing.

Students experimented with layering different natural and man made objects to make unique prints using Cyanotype chemistry and exposing with the sun!

Join us for ‘Cyanotype Level 2’ on August 23rd for a more advanced look at this process.

Address

1200 Lincoln Street, Suite 111
Denver, CO
80203

Opening Hours

Tuesday 11am - 5pm
Wednesday 11am - 5pm
Thursday 11am - 5pm
Friday 11am - 5pm
Saturday 12pm - 4pm

Telephone

+13038371341

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