Did You Know Denver Is Home to A Month Long Photo Festival?

Featured image by Phillip Toledano

This March, Denver’s Month of Photography Festival celebrates photographic artists. 

The Colorado Photographic Arts Center (CPAC) was started in the early 1960s to showcase and support photographic artists. Many may not realize how prevalent the photography community is in Colorado, as the state is home to photographers, enthusiasts, educators, businesses and more. 

Photo by Todd Dobbs

To bring these artists together, CPAC hosts the Month of Photography Festival. In its 10th year, the festival welcomes the community to celebrate photographic art. The festival includes more than 130 photo-related events, exhibitions, opening receptions, artists talks, workshops, a book fair and even a dance party. 

This year, the Month of Photography Festival will be headquartered at CPAC’s new venue in Denver’s Golden Triangle neighborhood. The facility was built to connect the photography community, their resources and the enthusiasts in their neighborhoods and beyond. 

“If you haven’t visited yet, MOP is the perfect time,” said Megan Ross, Director of Communications & Marketing at Colorado Photographic Arts. “With two galleries, a darkroom, digital lab, permanent collection, and library, the space is custom-built to meet the needs of photographers, CPAC’s 600+ members, students and about 5,000 visitors annually.”

Photo by From the Hip Photo

While there is so much to be excited about during this year’s festival, Ross is most looking forward to the sense of community that the festival establishes. 

“I’m excited to experience the energy of the community—so many artists coming together to celebrate the medium and create new connections. I love the opportunity to meet artists in person and talk to them about their work,” said Ross. She especially enjoys learning about “the person who created it. I always leave feeling inspired,” she said. 

“MOP is also an adventure! The festival is an open invitation to explore art spaces up and down the Front Range, on and off the beaten path. Places you might not usually go, from museums and high-end galleries to coffee shops or artist’s studios. There’s no pressure to buy anything or know anything about photography. It’s a fun, welcoming, non intimidating way to explore our local art scene, learn about photography, and meet new people.”

Photographers looking to exhibit, publish or sell their work can participate in Month of Photography Portfolio Reviews. The reviews eliminate the need for local photographers to travel by bringing the editors here. 

“CPAC leverages its long history and strong connections in the local and national art community, built over 60 years, to bring the reviewers to Denver and make this event happen during the festival,” said Ross. After spending months or even years developing a portfolio, the opportunity to meet with an editor one-on-one is valuable to photographers and the editors are just as excited about the meetings. 

“The reviewers are eager and excited to see the work and offer their best guidance. Relationships that start here can lead to unexpected opportunities down the line,” Ross added. 

Lepaa, by Laura Rautjoki

CPAC is focused on making Month of Photography a time of celebration for everyone in the photographic community. 

“Thanks to CPAC’s partnership with The Indigo Oak Fund, 2025 marks the first MOP festival with Equity Scholarships for artists from historically marginalized communities who want to attend the Portfolio Reviews. These scholarships give four artists 8 reviews at no cost and cover travel and accommodations – removing financial barriers that would have prevented them from participating,” Ross shared. 

Intrigued now? We are. Ross’ advice is to embrace the Month of Photography festival, regardless of your level of involvement in the photographic arts community. March marks a time to celebrate, learn about, develop and have conversations about photographic art. 

 “Come to CPAC and grab a guide or visit denvermop.org and pick five events or exhibitions that look interesting to you. Make a day of it. Most events are free. You don’t need to be a photographer or know anything about art. The community of hardworking and generous people behind this event is inspiring,” Ross said. 

Left: Stripes, a Tank and a Towel by Michael Young; Right: Wife and Husband by Alan Wieder

Check out eight events recommended by Ross during this year’s festival and visit the MOP Events Calendar to view all events in Denver, Boulder, Fort Collins, and beyond.

Month of Photography Festival Kickoff Party & Opening of History Reimagined

Saturday, March 1, 6 – 9 pm at CPAC 

MOP 2025 kicks off with an exciting celebration featuring the opening reception for History Reimagined, CPAC’s thought-provoking exhibition showcasing innovative photographic works created using AI by Todd Dobbs (Colorado), Laura Rautjoki (Finland), and Phillip Toledano (New York). Guests can meet the artists, take selfies in a restored 1950s photo booth courtesy of PhotoBang, get instaphotos from Frankinstax, enjoy beer from Ratio Brewing, celebrate with fellow creatives, and pick up a MOP guidebook.

History Reimagined: Artist Panel Discussion

Sunday, March 2 at 1 pm at CPAC

Dive deeper into History Reimagined with an in-person talk with exhibiting artists Todd Dobbs, Laura Rautjoki, and Phillip Toledano. If you’re at all curious about how AI will shape the future of photography, this is a must-attend event with three artists at the forefront of AI from three different corners of the world.  

Night Lights Denver Celebrates Month of Photography

March 1 – 31, nightly from dusk to midnight

Throughout March, Night Lights Denver will project images onto the Daniels & Fisher Tower (1601 Arapahoe St.) by 50 photographers from Colorado and across the U.S. The exhibition is organized by CPAC and curated by Samantha Johnston, CPAC’s Executive Director & Curator. Join us for an indoor reception to celebrate the artists on March 5, 5:30 – 8 pm at Noble Riot wine bar (1336 27th St., Denver). Free, please register online.

Colorado Perspectives: Visions in Photography

February 18 – July 9, 2025
Artist Reception: Thursday, March 20, 2025, 6 – 8 pm
Location: McNichols Civic Center Building, third floor, Denver, CO

Denver Arts & Venues (DAV) in collaboration with CPAC,proudly presents Colorado Perspectives: Visions in Photography, a juried exhibition that celebrates the creativity and vision of Colorado’s photography community through CPAC members living in Colorado. Experience a rich array of photographic styles and approaches to the medium and celebrate the diverse range of work being created by CPAC members, from traditional approaches to innovative, experimental processes.

Portfolio Walk & Book Fair

Friday, March 14, 5:30 – 8 pm at Studio Loft at Ellie Caulkins Opera House

Enjoy a casual, informal night of art-viewing and conversation with 70+ artists participating in the Month of Photography Portfolio Reviews. Many artists offer prints for sale, and artists keep 100% of profits. If you’re an art collector this is an excellent place to discover new talent. You can also browse or purchase books by photographic publishers, self-publishers, and distributors such as Kris Graves Projects/Monolith Editions, Fall Line Press, and others.

Outside Influence: Photography in Colorado 1945 – 1995

March 13 – April 27, with an opening reception on March 13 at 5 pm at Vicki Myhren Gallery, University of Denver.

Discover the state’s history of fine art photography from the end of the Second World War to the cusp of the 21st century. Curated by Rupert Jenkins, Outside Influencebrings together more than 130 works by 60 artists working across media such as print photography, video, installation, and ephemera. The show’s title acknowledges landscape’s prominence as a subject for photographers in Colorado and alludes to the influx of artists and educators whose arrival expanded the state’s demographics and photographic practice.

The Big Picture Launch Opening Wheat Paste Party

Sunday, March 16 (2 – 5 pm) at The Temple Artist Haven

Celebrate photography and learn the art of wheatpasting! All ages welcome. Please wear work clothes. All tools, paste, images, and water cleanup are provided.

The Big Picture is a biennial project whose mission is to connect the public to fine art photography in open-air settings with large murals wheat-pasted on walls. Through invitation and call for entry, the Big Picture selects winning prints for exhibition in Denver, Boulder, and sister cities around the world. 

Contemporary Image Makers

March 7 – May 17 at The Armory (Boulder)
First Friday Reception March 7 (6 – 9 pm) 

See works by a dozen contemporary Front Range image-makers. Enjoy a survey of landscapes, travelogues, AI explorations, self-portraits, a study of one particular object, and more. Featuring Luis Filipe Branco, Marie Bush, Joel Davis, Lucia De Giovanni, Todd Edward Herman, Kevin Hoth, Peter Kowalchuck, Dona Laurita, Roddy MacInnes, Kate Zari Roberts, Nathan Storey, and Sherry Wiggins.