DENVER ART MUSEUM

LEARNING AND ENGAGEMENT PROGRAMS: AT THE DENVER ART MUSEUM (DAM), WE COLLABORATE WITH COMMUNITIES TO CREATE ART AND CREATIVITY EXPERIENCES THAT FOSTER WELL-BEING, BELONGING, AND EMPATHY FOR ALL, WHILE ADVANCING INNOVATIVE PRACTICES IN THE FIELD. WE DO THIS TO FULFILL OUR VISION OF MAKING A MEANINGFUL DIFFERENCE IN PEOPLE'S LIVES BY CELEBRATING CREATIVITY AND INSPIRING GREATER UNDERSTANDING AND CONNECTION WITH THE WORLD. THE DAM'S DEPARTMENT OF LEARNING AND ENGAGEMENT (L&E) DESIGNS AND IMPLEMENTS INTERPRETIVE STRATEGIES, BOTH WITHIN COMMUNITIES AND ONLINE. THE L&E TEAM HAS DEVELOPED AN IMPACT FRAMEWORK THAT GUIDES ALL PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT AND DELIVERY. OUR STRATEGIES FOR PROVIDING ART AND CREATIVITY EXPERIENCES PRIORITIZE CULTIVATING A WELCOMING ENVIRONMENT FOR PEOPLE OF ALL BACKGROUNDS, ABILITIES, AND PERSPECTIVES. WE WORK ALONGSIDE AUDIENCES AND STAKEHOLDERS USING HUMAN-CENTERED DESIGN PRINCIPLES, ENSURING THAT NO GROUP IS ENGAGED WITHOUT THEIR ACTIVE PARTICIPATION AND INPUT. WE ARE COMMITTED TO GROWING AS LEADERS IN CREATIVITY, EXPERIMENTATION, AND INNOVATION, AND TO FOSTERING A CULTURE OF OPENNESS BY SHARING OUR PROCESSES, CHALLENGES, AND SUCCESSES WITH THE FIELD. THROUGH ITS PROGRAMS, THE MUSEUM STRIVES TO NURTURE A SENSE OF WELL-BEING IN VISITORS AT THE MUSEUM AND RECIPIENTS OF COMMUNITY-BASED PROGRAMS. WE AIM TO SUPPORT PERSONAL GROWTH, PRIDE, SELF-WORTH, AND CONNECTEDNESS THROUGH EXPERIENCES WITH ART AND CREATIVITY, CONTRIBUTING TO INDIVIDUAL AND COMMUNITY HEALTH AND HAPPINESS. WE SEEK TO CULTIVATE A SENSE OF BELONGING BY OFFERING EXPERIENCES THAT BUILD CONNECTIONS, CONFIDENCE, AND OWNERSHIP, ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY INCLUDE AND WELCOME PEOPLE OF ALL AGES, BACKGROUNDS, AND ABILITIES. ULTIMATELY, WE HOPE THESE EXPERIENCES WILL BUILD AND SUSTAIN EMPATHY, IMPROVING OUR ABILITY TO UNDERSTAND AND SHARE THE FEELINGS OF OTHERS, AND FOSTERING INTERCONNECTEDNESS WITHIN AND ACROSS COMMUNITIES. L&E PROGRAMS CAN BE SUMMARIZED UNDER THE FOLLOWING CATEGORIES: YOUTH AND FAMILY PROGRAMS SCHOOL AND TEACHER PROGRAMS LIFELONG LEARNING AND ACCESSIBILITY IN-GALLERY INTERPRETATION CREATIVE AND PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT PROGRAMS OUTREACH AND IN-COMMUNITY PROGRAMS THE DAM VALUES ITS COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS AND ENGAGES SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS, COMMUNITY AND BUSINESS LEADERS, GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS, AND COMMUNITY REPRESENTATIVES THROUGH STANDING ADVISORY COMMITTEES (E.G., YOUTH ADVISORY GROUPS, CREATIVE AGING FORUM, ACCESS ADVISORY COMMITTEE, LATINO AUDIENCE ALLIANCE, AND OTHERS). AD HOC COMMITTEES SUPPORT IN-GALLERY INTERPRETATION AND PROGRAMS TO HELP CREATE EXPERIENCES THAT REPRESENT ARTISTS, CURATORS, SCHOLARS, NON-ART EXPERTS, COMMUNITY MEMBERS, AND MORE. THE L&E DEPARTMENT IS ALSO A LEADER IN THE FIELD OF MUSEUM EDUCATION, REGULARLY HOSTING NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL MUSEUM COLLEAGUES, PRESENTING AT NATIONAL CONFERENCES, AND SHARING LEARNINGS AND BEST PRACTICES WITH THE MUSEUM FIELD. ALL MUSEUM-PRODUCED REPORTS ARE ACCESSIBLE ON THE MUSEUM'S WEBSITE UNDER 'RESEARCH & REPORTS.'