Art for Everyone

The Denver Theatre District enlivens a 16-block area of downtown Denver through interactive, immersive and experimental arts and culture events and experiences. We provide creatives with a platform and financial support for sharing their work.

Many of our events and programs, such as Night Lights Denver and Understudy, become woven into the fabric of downtown or spark ideas and trends in other cities.

We formed the Denver Theatre District to bring light, art and activity to the streets of downtown Denver. The DTD launched as a public-private partnership backing the idea that managed outdoor media could support downtown activity and bring exciting unique urban experiences to the public. Over the years the DTD became a key participant in the downtown environment and a force in Denver’s artistic community.

we give people a reason to come downtown, be part of the city and have fun.

Impact

The DTD leaves a lasting impact on the Denver and artistic community through a revenue share model that is the first of its kind in the nation. Our media companies sell corporate advertising on the static and LED screens located throughout the district. We take a revenue share from those sales to fund art and cultural activities for the public. In 2017, we worked with Colorado Business Committee for the Arts to determine our actual impact, and it’s only grown from here:

$1,000,000+

SPENT on District art and cultural activation

$250,000+

in DONATED LED screen time and billboard space to nonprofit arts organizations

160+

experience-based events LAUNCHED OR SUPPORTED

370,000+

visitors DRAWN downtown for unique cultural experiences

What’s Next

01

January

`16th Street Mall Interactive Lights`













This winter, Display Devices brings you a fun, interactive lighting system on the 16th Street Mall between Stout and California in the Denver Theatre District.



The Mall lights are interactive displays consisting of either three or four lamps in a row. The control box is mounted on one lamp of the group, in the median between bus lanes, near the corners of each block. The control method is touch-less and is accomplished by waving your hand.
TIPS – Use hand motions that are smooth and controlled. Fast movements may not be read, or can be read incorrectly. When doing a left or right swipe, do not cross your hand in front of controller to begin the swipe as it could be read as opposite movement.
There are six display/games that can be chosen:
Basic Operation



Walk up to the control box and wave your hand about 10 inches below the sensor. If the colored lights were previously turned off, then it will start at Program #1, displaying the color lights. To change to next display/game raise your hand to the front of box on the center-left side, about 10 inches from front. Wave your hand to the right to change to Program #2. The system will respond by blinking all lamps the color white once. Repeat this process to change to Programs #3, #4, #5, #6, and then back to start #1.
If you lose track of which Program, you can reset to #1 at any time by the following gesture: From the front bring your hand towards the center, stop about six inches away and hover for a moment then swipe down. If done correctly all lamps will double blink the color white and reset to display/game #1. Below are instructions for each display/game.
Program #1 – Display Color
From under the control box wave your hand left, right, forward and back to change colors. Moving your hand up/down will change the brightness. You can combine all the motions to create your own display.
Program #2 – Pulse Color
The lamps will blink to your chosen color and speed. From under the control box wave your hand left, right, forward and back to change colors. Moving your hand up/down will change the speed.
Program #3 – Strobe Color
The lights will move from lamp to lamp with your chosen color and speed. From under the control box wave your hand left, right, forward and back to change color. Moving your hand up/down will change the speed.
Program #4 – Game of “Stop Lights on the Same Color”
Objective of this game is to set all the lamps to the same color. The first lamp (above you at control panel) will start rotating through a number of colors. You can stop it at any time by waving you hand left. To do this raise your hand to the front of box right side, center, about 10 inches from front. Wave your hand to the left to stop the light. The next lamp will start rotating colors and you try to stop it (left swipe) on same color. Do this for the final lamp(s). If you lose the game, the lights will double-blink red, while a win will double-blink green.
Program #5 – Game of Matching Colors
Objective of this game is stop on colors matching a pattern first displayed. At start, first memorize the colors of all of the lamps in your group. Then lamps will rotate colors one lamp at a time and you have to stop color that matches the original color. Left swipe to stop on a color. Stopping is by left swipe described in #4 game. If you lose the game, the lights will double-blink red, while a win will double-blink green.
Program #6 – Game of “Stop the Light Overhead”
Objective is to stop the light when it is located above your head. The game will start with a strobing light on the lamps in your group. Swipe left under the controller to stop the light. If you stop the light over your head, it will blink green and start again faster than before. If you miss, it will blink red and go back to the beginning speed.