New Art Coming to DU

Dear community members,

The arts and humanities are foundational to the University of Denver experience. From popular culture in film and literature to classical music, theater, and sculpture, the arts challenge us to experience the world differently. One way DU supports these values is by staying connected with the vibrant city of Denver, which has a thriving cultural scene.

Embodying DU’s connection with Denver is a new partnership with the Denver Art Museum (DAM). In the near future, the DAM will transfer a unique collection of seven sculptures to DU, all made possible through philanthropy and donors’ passion for higher education and the arts.

In many ways, the University’s outdoor environment is the backdrop for our lives as community members, most especially our students. Walking to and from classes offers students moments of inspiration, beauty, and connection. These new sculptures will build on those experiences. They will spark conversation and curiosity—the way art very often does. The sculptures are not simply interesting additions to our outdoor environment; they are tangible invitations for reflection. I’m excited to see the community come to know these works of art, and for their presence to become intertwined with our students’ memories of their time with us. 

You can read more about the collection in the DU Newsroom, as well as in recent Denver Post and Denver Gazette  articles. Over the next 18 months, the seven outdoor sculptures will be installed at highly visible sites on campus, allowing the DU community and members of the public to enjoy them during campus visits. 

This initiative fulfills a broader vision that we have for DU—to create a holistic campus experience, one that includes the power of art for connection and well-being, critical pieces of our innovative approach to learning. By bringing these works into a public setting, we are also inviting the local community to visit campus and engage with the arts in new, profound ways. 

I am grateful to our partners at the Denver Art Museum, and to the donors and supporters whose generous gifts are funding the installation of the collection. This is a transformative moment for DU, one that reinforces our role as a center of creativity, learning, and community connection.

Sincerely,

Jeremy Haefner
Chancellor