Now & Next: Five Reasons You Don’t Want to Miss IdeaLab 2017

For those of you who haven’t heard, IdeaLab 2017 will be happening on Friday, April 14, at the McNichols Building in Civic Center park. The event is a partnership between Confluence Denver, Springboard for the Arts and Creative Exchange, supported by the Bonfils-Stanton Foundation and Denver Arts & Venues.

What is IdeaLab you ask?

IdeaLab brings together artists, organizers and civic leaders who are doing the work on the ground to help people better connect, share inspiration and imagine new ways forward together. Here is a recap from our first IdeaLab in 2015.

IdeaLab grounds the conversation in the place where it is held, with a mix of Denver-based and national practitioners, to share and cross-pollinate ideas and connections. Our conversations on the 14th will ask and inspire us around what artists are doing right now to shape their communities, work for equity and social justice, and how we are telling those stories to better engage the future.

We’re certainly excited by the lineup of speakers and shape of the day, but we thought we would share some reasons you shouldn’t miss this event.

1. Let's start with you. The number one reason to come to IdeaLab is because you are creative, you want to make something happen, you want something more. You are an artist, or a social entrepreneur, or work in an organization looking to make change. You want racial equity, are interested in fair community development and believe creativity and artists can play a role in this. And if you come, you'll get to meet others like you, make new connections and move your work forward.

2. The speakers and presenters at IdeaLab are deeply connected, creative leaders in Denver and from around the country. Coming from across artistic disciplines, missions, and organization types, this is the kind of cross-pollination that leads to new ideas. Get ready to be inspired — from the keynote by Steven Renderos, of the Center for Media Justice, to the moderation of poet Suzi Q. Smith and The Equity Project's Nita Mosby Tyler.

3. The McNichols Building is a great space — seriously, we couldn't be more excited to be at this venue, thanks to Denver Arts & Venues. Three floors of art and event space for you to explore, and we'll be holding IdeaLab in the middle of the exhibition Tectonic SHIFT | Dynamics of Change. How perfect is that?

4. We believe that you'll get the most out of IdeaLab if you come with your ideas, projects and aspirations, are ready to share them with other attendees and build your network. But if you are looking for a chance to reflect, and recharge, come to IdeaLab to listen and learn —  and get ready for the next steps you're going to take.

5. And if nothing else, lunch will be catered by Comal, a heritage food incubator, with a social mission. So, if inspiring people in an amazing space with an exciting network isn't enough for you, there's going to be good food. And thanks to the support of the Bonfils-Stanton Foundation, tickets to IdeaLab are only $10.

So will you join us on April 14th to hear from exciting local and national organizers and artists, connect to like-minded creatives and develop new relationships to move your projects forward? Register here.