An Arts District for everyone.
Artwork by district resident, Chris Beedy (@HowdyWild)
what’s happening in the district?
submit your event.
Planning an upcoming event you'd like to promote with ACAD?
We welcome submissions for Arts and Culture events happening in Ward 1 through the form below. Please note that submitting does not guarantee approval.
district History
In the early 2000’s the city began discussing the redevelopment of the area currently known as the Aurora Cultural Arts District. In October 2002, the city approved the Fletcher Plaza Urban Renewal Area and Plan (Attachment A) which laid out the redevelopment concept and goals for the area. The overall development concept for the plan included three major components:
1) Building a Civic and Cultural Core in the area (including the Martin Luther King Jr. Library, the Fox Arts Center and Fletcher Plaza)
2) Supporting the Arts (including support and development of arts studios and uses)
3) Developing urban residential and new retail space.
In 2012, at the direction of the City Council, staff conducted extensive public outreach to update and determine priorities in the area of the Colfax corridor (Colfax Corridor Study). The study confirmed the original goals of the Fletcher Plaza Urban Renewal Plan, with the public citing priorities in developing Arts and Entertainment uses and jobs and economic development as their highest priorities, followed closely by reducing poverty and increasing cleanliness and safety. Following the Study, the City Council reconfirmed the Fletcher Plaza Urban Renewal Plan and amended the plan to update the objectives; the plan was formally amended in June 2014.
In November 2021, the Aurora Cultural Arts District was awarded a “Creative District” designation by the State’s Colorado Creative Industries, which provides formal recognition and on-going support by the State of Colorado
