Thousands of patrons pass through The Dairy facilities each year, participating in classes, workshops, exhibitions, films and dance, music, and theater performances . We actively develop programs and events, many centered on arts education.
Resident organizations place special emphasis on working with young people:
Boulder Ballet Teaches and reaches thousands through performances and outreach at schools, festivals and special events. Partners with Boulder Philharmonic to present “The Nutcracker” each holiday season. Alumni have gone on to dance with ballet companies worldwide. Students perform in the Annual Student Choreographers Showcase, the End of Year Showcase, and Storybook Ballet productions.
CenterStage Theatre Company Entertains and educates youth from 6 to 18 with three to four productions each year. Some 300 children participate in theater productions, camps or the summer choral program. Recent shows included performances of “Anne of Green Gables,” “Les Miserables,” “Camelot” and “Aladdin.”
Imagination Makers Theater Company A professional, adult theater company that performs for children in the Denver-Boulder area. Each year the program reaches 175 to 180 schools and thousands of young people, many of who are low-income and participate in free or reduced lunch programs. Productions explore tough issues such as homelessness and hunger.
Lemon Sponge Cake Contemporary Ballet Offers a training ground for both young and adult dancers, identifies and nurtures individual strengths and hosts a comprehensive ballet program to students age 3 through 18 and open community classes to adults of all ages and abilities. Offers free performances in schools, donates tickets to at-risk families and underserved communities.
The Parlando School for the Arts Many of Parlando’s more than 600 students receive tuition assistance, and teachers provide classes and activities in local schools. Youth concerts entertain at retirement communities. “Broadway in Boulder,” a New York conservatory-style studio teaches vocal instruction and musical theater classes.
Other services reach out to the local arts community:
Visual arts outreach
- The Dairy exhibits the work of more than 80 local, national and international artists in eighteen juried shows each year. Applications are juried by The Dairy’s Visual Art Committee, a volunteer group including business owners, artists and other community members.
- During the past two years The Dairy has contributed space for six BFA and six MFA art shows from the University of Colorado, and donates space to the CU School of Journalism and Mass Communication for an annual marketing art show.
- The Dairy donates art gallery space to Boulder Public Schools for its annual public art show.
- This fall The Dairy will present a major exhibition and show with Imagine C.O.R.E., a day services program for adults with developmental disabilities. Imagine C.O.R.E. will mount a six-week exhibition in The Dairy art galleries and will conduct at least one performance in conjunction with the visual art show.
The Dairy Community Box Office
The box office provides ticket sales for a number of local arts organizations, including The Dairy’s resident organizations Festival, and multiple performances at the ATLAS Theater on the CU campus. Tickets are sold in person, by phone and online.