Leon Co.

Background Statement

Leon is both a non-profit gallery and creative space dedicated to mentoring emerging artists across multiple disciplines. We aim to nurture and promote each artist, assist them in the development of their practice, and connect them with greater and more ambitious career opportunities. We provide our local community with a welcoming environment in which they can explore and discover the artistry of creative individuals from Denver and beyond.

We are a small organization consisting of one full- and three part-time employees, seven board members, and three advisory board members, located in the City Park West neighborhood of Denver, Colorado. We are proud of our history of inclusivity and we seek to provide a welcoming space to all who live in or pass through our neighborhood. Our programming is more diverse than the general population of Denver and we are continually looking to elevate and amplify a range of unique voices.

Throughout our history we have introduced numerous emerging artists to the local community. We have facilitated press coverage and art critique of their work on both a local and national scale. And we have connected these artists to collectors, curators and professional galleries. This has resulted in many of these artists being invited to exhibit at The Museum of Contemporary Art Denver, Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art, The Denver Art Museum, and The Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art.

In addition to our regular programming of art exhibitions, we have offered our gallery space to other organizations and institutions including, The University of Denver for MFA student thesis exhibitions, The Steele Elementary School for second and third grade student group exhibitions, and community organizations, like The Gathering House, for an exhibition of artwork created by women experiencing homelessness.