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UNION HALL ART SPACE 2019 - 2024

DEAR FRIENDS OF UNION HALL,

As we celebrate our fifth anniversary, it is with immense pride and gratitude that I reflect on the remarkable journey of our organization. When we created Union Hall, we worked with a broad group of artists to identify a model that would best meet the community's needs. From that outreach, Union Hall was born, and we’ve continued to grow and learn as the community's needs have grown and changed. From our humble beginnings, we have cultivated a vibrant arts hub, fostering creativity, collaboration, and cultural enrichment in Denver.

As Chair of the board, I’m excited to mark this milestone as a testament to the dedication of our staff, artists, partners, and supporters. This year marks another exciting chapter for our organization as we continue to strengthen our foundation and expand our impact.

In this report, you will find highlights of Union Hall's programs, activities, and achievements over the past five years, in addition

to stories about the artists and community members who make our mission come to life. We hope you will take a moment to celebrate with us the meaningful work we’ve accomplished together.

We are also thrilled to announce that, thanks to the ongoing support from all of you, we have achieved eligibility for funding from the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District (SCFD). This is a significant step and an affirmation of our impact, ensuring that we can continue to serve our community with excellence.

Thank you for your continued support as we look ahead to an exciting future!

— Amy Cara

Chair of the Board of Directors Managing Partner of East West Partners

ABOUT US

Union Hall was established in 2019 to advance opportunities for emerging artists and curators, providing a platform for Denver locals and visitors to engage in enriching exhibitions and creative experiences, and to serve as a community-focused art space and culture concierge. We offer resources and support for artists, curators, and creatives to help them develop their professional practices.

OUR APPROACH

As one of the only nonprofit art exhibition and event spaces located in Downtown Denver, our programmatic approach prioritizes institutional innovation, inclusivity of diverse artistic mediums and voices, tangible community impact, and inspirational experiences that are free and accessible to the public.

> Being a gallery space that does not focus on the sale of artwork allows us to present experimental and site-specific work that introduces new concepts and mediums to visitors.

> Aligned with the theme of current exhibitions, we partner with local organizations to host events that amplify the voices of creatives and crossindustry professionals who would not otherwise have access to a gallery.

> Union Hall's open door policy and ADA compliance welcomes visitors freely and limits barriers to entry.

> Union Hall prioritizes equitable wages as part of our mission to create a sustainable ecosystem for artists, curators, and creatives.

WHAT WE OFFER

PROGRAMMING

Rotating visual art exhibitions, the Rough Gems Curatorial Program, and interactive events are the defining ways in which we fulfill our mission of supporting emerging artists and curators.

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EVENTS

Adaptable gallery features allow us to host and co-host unique, memorable events at the intersection of art and education including workshops, concerts, screenings, and more.

CULTURE CONCIERGE

Being a Culture Concierge means curating experiences, resources, and opportunities happening across Colorado. We do this by sharing blog posts, newsletters, and enriching events.

23 CURATORS

have gained access to mentorship, funds, and resources to produce exhibitions

11+ PARTNERSHIPS throughout exhibitions and events including Denver Film, Invisible City, Athena Project, Sunday Vinyl, and Denver Startup Week

167 ARTISTS have been paid to display their work in the gallery

250+ EVENTS

have been hosted by, or in partnership with Union Hall, both in and outside of the gallery

FOOT TRAFFIC

Being located next to the central transit hub of downtown Denver, and surrounded by retail shops and restaurants, creates an opportunity to engage many unexpected visitors. Most gallery interactions come from first-time guests— national and international travelers, business professionals, and residents of neighboring buildings.

This steady foot traffic, combined with regular patrons and the networks of exhibiting artists, allows the diverse perspectives and mediums showcased at Union Hall to reach new audiences. By making visual art accessible, Union Hall hopes to turn the busy, everyday passerby into an art appreciator.

The 2021 spike reflects a post-lockdown surge in engagement and the success of our highestattended exhibition to date, MaryV: Loving You.

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHT: ROUGH GEMS

Surveying the landscape of opportunities available for creatives in Denver, we recognized that there are few opportunities for emerging curators to submit work for consideration, receive portfolio reviews, and be awarded funds, when compared to similar opportunities for artists. The Rough Gems Curatorial Program was developed as a response to this gap; supporting those curious about exhibition-making in developing their curatorial skills.

> Rough Gems is the first and only program dedicated to the mentorship of new and emerging curators in the state of Colorado.

> The intention of the program is for curators to translate the leadership, communication, and project management skills learned during Rough Gems to further their careers.

> Rough Gems curators as well as artists have advanced post-program to become public art program specialists, museum curators, professors, and participate in artist residencies around the world.

> By offering paid mentorship, Union Hall is making the field of art curation more accessible to a broad range of individuals.

> To serve even more creatives in the community, we launched the Rough Gems Presents workshop series, where industry leaders teach and demonstrate skills not often taught inside the classroom.

10% increase in all wages from 2022 - 2023

INCREASE IN STIPENDS

Union Hall was founded on the belief that all labor should be compensated and wages be fair and equitable. We aim to meet or exceed guidelines set by the organization, Working Artists for the Greater Economy (W.A.G.E.)

INCREASE IN SOLOSHOW ARTIST STIPEND since 2019 36% INCREASE IN ROUGH GEMS CURATOR STIPEND since 2020

INCREASE IN DUOSHOW ARTIST STIPEND since 2019

INCREASE IN ROUGH GEMS ARTIST STIPEND since 2020

IMPACT STORY: KIAH BUTCHER

Kiah Butcher is a filmmaker, video artist, and independent curator based in Denver, Colorado. Butcher had never curated an art exhibition before participating in the 2021 Rough Gems program. " Rough Gems is the only curatorial program that gives the reins to up-and-coming curators" said Butcher, and with the help of Union Hall's staff and resources, she was able to produce an innovative group exhibition titled Object Empathy . In a review published in The Denver Post, critic Ray Rinaldi said that Object Empathy's "best attribute is a deep cohesiveness that allows it to fully explore ideas about how we perceive ourselves and the objects we value."

After completing Rough Gems , Butcher excelled in her newlyappointed position as Associate Curator of Community Engagement for the Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art, and returned to the 2024 Rough Gems Program as an application jury member. Kiah Butcher is now the Programs Manager for the RiNo Art District in Denver and continues to create video work while investing heavily in the local arts community.

My exhibition with Union Hall effectively started my career as a curator and arts facilitator in the way that I wanted to be represented.

450+ people found resources and opportunities through our Culture Concierge Blogs

84% year over year increase in unique website visitors since our redesign launched in August 2022

18 new and emerging curators have graduated from the Rough Gems program

$61,140 sponsorship and grant money received since 2021 dedicated solely to assist the Rough Gems program

468 artworks displayed in exhibitions from 2021 to 2024

50+ media mentions and exhibition reviews from local and regional sources

90% average number of events that were free to the public annually

79 different artists have displayed work in Rough Gems exhibitions

60+ individual donors over the last 5 years

TESTIMONIALS

"A beautiful place to share and commute with art and artists. One of my favorite places to visit in the neighborhood, they do a great job promoting art. Every exhibition is full of great stories about social interest, interaction and creativity."

— Gallery visitor

"Union Hall’s space and leadership empowers artists, visitors, and the entire Denver community. They enrich and cultivate diverse perspectives of the human experience, helping our collective imagination heal and build connections. I believe their vision will, in the coming years, attract collectors, artists, and new audiences, inspiring them to connect, invest, innovate, and enrich their lives."

— Saul Acevedo Gomez, artist

"Union Hall levels the playing field allowing for emerging contemporary curators to gain a dynamic experience in a state of the art facility with expertise in the field." — Rough Gems participant

DEMOGRAPHICS

100% 64% 20+ 39% of full and part-time staff members since 2019 have been female of 2024 Rough Gems curators and artists were part of the LGBTQIA2+ community

cats and dogs have safely roamed through the gallery with their owners

GENDER HISTORY OF BOARD AND STAFF MEMBERS SINCE 2019

average number of social media followers between the ages of 25 - 34 nonbinary 5%

23% INCREASE IN BIPOC/LATINX ARTISTS AND CURATORS IN 1 YEAR

2022 2023 75%

INDIVIDUAL DONATIONS

$21,702

2024 INCOME

FOUNDATION/ GOVERNMENT

$233,208 CORPORATE $24,200

288,000

SPONSORS AND PARTNERS SINCE 2019

BIGGEST OF THANK YOUS TO OUR FOUNDING PARTNER, SPONSORS, AND EXHIBITION PATRONS

First Bank | Otten Johnson Robinson Neff + Ragonetti PC | Sherman & Howard LLC | Denver Film

Alpine Bank | Denver Union Station | Slifer, Smith, and Frampton | Art Students League of Denver

SPONSOR HIGHLIGHT

THE ANDY WARHOL FOUNDATION FOR THE VISUAL ARTS

Of the 50 museums and organizations selected to receive an award from The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts in the spring of 2021, Union Hall was the only recipient from Colorado. This sponsorship allowed Union Hall to flourish through a two-year period after the pandemic lockdown.

“We are very pleased to support Union Hall as a platform for emerging creative voices in Denver. The critical support it provides to early-career artists and curators working in experimental and interdisciplinary modes enables them to take risks, expand their practices and make significant contributions to larger cultural conversations taking place in the region and beyond. — Rachel Bers, Program Director