Mayor Johnston Honors Local Artists at the 2023 Mayor’s Awards for Excellence in Arts & Culture

Denver Arts & Venues presented the city with an exciting glimpse into the vibrant and diverse artistic community that is flourishing here in Denver during the latest annual Mayor’s Awards for Excellence in Arts & Culture.

Held at the historic McNichols Civic Center building, Mayor Mike Johnston acknowledged the importance that the arts have played in his own life. “This day is very personal for me because art has been a transformational part of my life since I was a child. I believe that it is the central part of what makes every city and community vibrant,” he said.

The vibrancy of Denver’s art scene was evident as the luncheon delighted guests with a performance from the beautiful Denver March Powwow (DMPW) Dancers followed by brief inspiring videos that highlighted the impressive artistic contribution that each award winner has made to their communities throughout Denver.

Megen Gilman, a longtime Denver Public Schools (DPS) teacher, was presented with the Youth Award. She has been serving the educational and artistic community for more than 20 years and is the current Theatre Director at North High School. Gilman’s legacy as a haven providing artistic inspiration to her students was another powerful example of the impact that a teacher can have on their students.

Next up on the podium was the hilarious Joshua Emerson, who received the Innovation Award. Emerson is a celebrated Navajo comedian whose shows are consistently sold out. He is co-chair of the Denver American Indian Commission and a founding member of the production company DeadRoom Comedy.

Chloé Duplessis was honored next as an artist, historian, curator and public speaker. Winning the award for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, Duplessis “creates images that illuminate the forgotten, elevate the unknown and mindfully address the present.” Her work is stunningly captivating on its own and is even more inspiring upon learning that she has been rapidly losing her eyesight for years. She brought a collective breath from the audience when she said, in regards to making art, “[creating] doesn’t require sight—it requires vision.” Duplessis made it very clear that she does not see her loss of sight as much of an obstacle in her creativity and encouraged guests to “muster the courage to create and tell your own story.”

Mongolian artist Tsogo Mijid was the recipient of the Global Award. He creates vibrant and colorful artwork in the form of paintings, graphic artwork and sculptures. His luminous portfolio can be found at a variety of locations throughout Denver (and the world, the Dalai Lama owns one of his pieces) such as at Meow Wolf, the Denver Public Library and the Denver Zoo.

The final prize was for Grace Gillette who received the Impact Award. This award is reserved for those who have had at least ten years of contributing work within the Denver arts community. Gillette has been a resident of Denver for 52 years and has been the Executive Director for the Denver March Powwow (DMPW) for 33 years. Her accomplishments include leading the DMPW to host two permanent exhibits, one at the Library of Congress and the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian. Faithfully serving the Denver Indian Community, Gillette has served on various boards and speaks in public settings as a panelist, but her passion is for dance and sharing her culture with others. Those interested in experiencing the DMPW firsthand can attend the annual event at the Denver Coliseum in March 2024.

Mayor Johnston remarked, “art is a fundamental way of seeing and understanding the world” and it is clear that Denver is a place full of opportunities for artists to explore their environment and gain many different ways of seeing and understanding the world. The awards ceremony ended on a bright note of hope, with a clear message that this city will continue to celebrate, honor and embrace the arts—and the artists who have paved the way.