Boulder Arts Week is like BackJazz in a bike café.

It’s dance performances in industrial studios. Pottery workshops next to poetry readings.

Boulder Arts Week kicks off Friday and runs through April 12, and if it sounds like a creative free-for-all, well, that’s the point. The annual citywide celebration brings together artists, performers, students and art lovers for nine days of mural tours, gallery pop-ups, drop-in classes, and community showcases — many free and happening in unexpected places. From spray paint demos to jazz trios, it’s a choose-your-own-art-adventure through Boulder’s ever-expanding creative scene.

In essence, Boulder Arts Week is a celebration of the people and places that keep the city’s arts scene active year-round. That includes painters, poets, musicians, dancers, nonprofits, collectives, galleries, studios and performance spaces across the city.

“Boulder is such a creative place — we’re often ranked among the top cities in the country for artists and creatives,” said Cindy Sepucha, Boulder Arts Week’s program manager. “Boulder Arts Week is all about celebrating that. There are tons of ways to take part, from performances and exhibits to pop-ups and workshops, many of them uniquely Boulder. Events are happening all over the city, so it’s also a fun way to explore the city while soaking up the local arts scene.”

The festival is hosted by the city of Boulder, with support from the Boulder County Arts Alliance, the Boulder Chamber, Create Boulder and other local partners.

New in 2025 is the introduction of the Boulder Arts Week Awards, also known as the BAWies. The awards recognize individuals and organizations that help Boulder’s creative sector thrive. Each winner will receive a $1,000 stipend and a handmade glass sculpture by local artist Erinn Diekman.“They’re all about celebrating the artists, organizations and creative folks who make Boulder such a vibrant, inspiring place,” Sepucha said.

Award categories include the Artivist Award, honoring work that addresses social or environmental issues; the Uncharted Territory Award, recognizing innovation and experimentation; and the Bright Future Award, given to a promising student from one of Boulder’s higher education institutions. The public can also vote for the Boulder Buzz Award, which highlights the most beloved event or artwork that’s featured during the week.

Sepucha said voting will be open throughout Boulder Arts Week.

“It’s a fun, feel-good way to highlight the creative energy that makes Boulder shine,” Sepucha said.

While the BAWies celebrate the contributors who help Boulder’s creative scene thrive, the heart of the week lies in the artists themselves — the ones opening their studios, sharing their work and inviting the public into their process.

Artist Sara Slocum has spent most of her creative career working behind the scenes, designing characters, backgrounds and user interfaces for video games and mobile apps. After two decades in the gaming industry — and more recently illustrating children’s books — the Boulder-based artist is stepping into a more personal phase of her creative life, one brushstroke at a time.

“I’ve made it a goal this year to get more connected in the local art community,” Slocum said. “I feel like I’m ready to sell my own art now, and I’m excited to be part of this.”

Slocum designed this year’s official Boulder Arts Week sticker, a playful, Boulder-specific mashup of outdoor adventure and artistic tools — think hiking boots filled with paintbrushes and spray cans.

“I wanted the colors to be fun and vibrant,” she said. “I tried to add elements of the arts in the stickers — paintbrushes, spray paint, instruments — and iconic Boulder imagery. The hiking boot with art stuff in it feels like Boulder to me; the perfect combo of outside adventure and creativity.”

Her creative toolkit spans from digital to tactile, using everything from Procreate on her iPad to watercolor and gouache in her home studio. Lately, she’s been

diving into plein air painting, exploring Boulder’s open spaces with a sketchpad in hand.

“I am excited to see the stickers out and about in Boulder,” she said. “The creative scene is very vibrant and diverse here, and I hope my design shows that as well.”

In addition to designing the sticker, Slocum is organizing a pop-up market during Boulder Arts Week, in partnership with Titan Vans, a Boulder-based camper van dealer. The event, scheduled from 4-9 p.m. April 12, will feature 11 local artists, live music and dance performances during Titan’s open house at 1901 Central Ave., Unit 1, Boulder.

Slocum said Sepucha helped her connect with Matt North, the CEO at Titan Vans, and the event was born. There will be live music by Boulder-based singer-songwriter Scott Dale, hip-hop dance performances and food and drinks.

“We put together this whole event, and it’s going to be the first time I’ve ever sold my own work at something like this,” she said.

Slocum said what excites her most about Boulder Arts Week is the chance to connect with other creatives and celebrate the uniqueness of the local scene.

“There’s so much inspiration all around Boulder,” she said. “The community, artists and nature

here are all so inspirational. I’m looking forward to meeting other artists, seeing new work and just being part of the energy.”

For Betsy Cole, painting started not as a career, but as a calling she finally answered in her 70s. After 35 years of working as an interior designer, Cole picked up a paintbrush and never looked back.

“I had wanted to paint my entire life, and I had things stepping in the way all the time,” Cole said. “When I finally started, I had a difficult time, because people were telling me what I ‘should’ do. It was frustrating.”

A life-changing trip to Bali shifted everything. There, she met an abstract artist who encouraged her to let go of expectations and paint freely.

“He told me to just paint,” she said. “Walk around when you feel stuck. Look at nature. Let it in.”

She returned to Bali three more times to study with him. Cole now paints nearly every day in her Boulder studio, creating intuitive, color-driven abstract works that reflect emotion and movement.

“I paint my feelings,” Cole said. “My art is about healing myself and healing others because of my color. “here’s no thinking, no planning, no judgment. That’s what I love about it. The minute I bring thinking in, I get stuck.”

Cole is one of five abstract artists featured in a group show during Boulder Arts Week at Will Day Studio, 3550 Frontier Ave., Suite D, in Boulder Junction. The show, part of the Boulder Contemporary Group, will be open to the public Friday through Sunday and on April 12. It includes a First Friday opening night event this weekend with a live dance performance in one of the studio’s adjacent rooms.

“There are five of us artists who are all a little bit different, obviously, but it’s a good combination of people who are all interested in abstract art,” Cole said. “And there are several things going on in Boulder Junction that weekend, so we’re hoping it draws people in.”

Her passion for creativity extends beyond her own studio practice. Cole is a vocal advocate for the healing power of the arts and often talks with visitors about how creating, even imperfectly, can provide a sense of release and peace.

“What I love most is the time to talk to people about how art is healing,” she said. “It’s scientifically proven, whether you look at art or take part in it. I just want to help people not be afraid to give it a try.”

She sees Boulder Arts Week as a celebration of that energy.

“Arts Week just promotes that — music, dance, poetry,” Cole said. “It’s exciting to get that out in front of the community and try to build and build and build to make this a bigger project.”

From hands-on workshops to visual art in action, Boulder Arts Week offers something for every creative curiosity. Head to Happy Messes Studio, 4949 Broadway St., Unit 232, in North Boulder, for a live painting session with artist Katrin Bell, or catch the Kat Ellis Trio performing jazz standards at Full Cycle Café, 2355 30th St., Boulder. At The New Local, 741 Pearl St., Boulder, French ceramicist Alev Erkan of Amio Ceramics will lead a planter-making workshop for those looking to try something new.

Newer venues like Groundworks Art Lab, 1010 Aurora Ave., Boulder, are joining the mix this year, and one of the largest collaborations pairs Boulder Arts Week with Taste of Pearl, a downtown celebration of food, wine and local makers.

“We’re activating Pearl Street with live performances, visual arts demos, tours and more,” Sepucha said. “It’s going to be a beautiful blend of Boulder’s creative and culinary scenes.”

Boulder Arts Week is a reminder of what happens when creativity is made visible, when artists open their doors and the community shows up with curiosity. The week is fueled by local talent, grassroots energy and the belief that the arts belong to everyone.

“I hope people walk away feeling inspired and more connected to the Boulder community,” Sepucha said. “Maybe they discover a new favorite artist, make a connection or feel encouraged to explore their own creativity.”

To see the full calendar of events, vote in the Boulder Buzz Award or nominate someone for a BAWie, visit BoulderArtsWeek.org. Most events are free or low-cost and open to the public.