Community Involvement
Get to Know Us
RMCAD thrives off collaborative endeavors
That’s why we’re excited to partner with local organizations and flex our creative capacities towards their events, establishments, and causes.
RMCAD is very proud to work closely with the following local community partners:
RMCAD’s campus is located in the heart of the 40 West Arts District, a state-certified Colorado Creative District located along historic West Colfax Avenue in Lakewood. The district works to support and promote Lakewood’s West Colfax as a vibrant arts, cultural & economic destination. RMCAD is a business member of 40 West and engages with the district to support the local art scene.
RMCAD is a business member of the Art District on Santa Fe. Denver’s Art District on Santa Fe (ADSF) is a nationally known arts and cultural district, encompassing hundreds of artists, galleries, studios, theaters, and creative businesses along Santa Fe Drive in Denver, Colorado. Founded in 2003, ADSF is a 501(c)(3), nonprofit membership organization and one of the first Certified Creative Districts in the state.
RMCAD works with the Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art to help lead tours for middle school students and present art workshops.
RMCAD supports the Colorado Rural School Alliance, a non-profit that helps smaller rural school districts in CO with services, education, and legislative actions.
RMCAD donates the use of its darkroom facilities to the Colorado Photographic Arts Center, the only nonprofit organization in Denver dedicated exclusively to the art of photography. The center serves as a resource center where photographers can learn new skills, pursue their artistic vision, build community, grow creatively, and seek inspiration. RMCAD faculty members also speak at several CPAC lecture events.
RMCAD participates in the Colorado Rockies STEM Day which takes place annually at Coors Field. This educational event incorporates demonstrations and lessons that showcase the elements of STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) to inspire the next generation.
RMCAD partners with Colorado Scholastics’ CO Art Awards to help with portfolio reviews, hosting events, and sponsoring art supply giveaways. Scholastic Art & Writing Awards are the nation’s longest-running and most prestigious recognition program for creative teens in grades 7–12, ages 13+ and had been a program in Colorado since 1947.
RMCAD provides its facilities to Denver’s chapter of Creative Mornings to host events. Creative Mornings is the world’s largest creative community that hosts local chapter events, virtual field trips, and job postings/opportunities.
RMCAD is a proud partner with the City of Lakewood to drive awareness about art events happening throughout the community. This collaboration is meant to provide the public with the knowledge of what’s happening locally through student, faculty and alumni work as well as bringing light to events in the Lakewood area. The City of Lakewood is home to talented artists, thriving cultural organizations and diverse community celebrations. Click here to read more about Arts and Culture in the City of Lakewood.
RMCAD utilizes the Denver Botanic Gardens to bring learning off campus and uses the gardens and classrooms at the Botanic Gardens for student learning opportunities.
RMCAD supports the Denver Colfax Marathon, which is a nonprofit 501c3 with the mission of producing the premier marathon weekend in the Mountain West Region, committed to community, philanthropy, and fun. Originally created by the cities of Denver, Lakewood, and Aurora to recognize Colfax Avenue, the longest main street in America; it’s Denver’s only marathon.
RMCAD participates annually in the Denver Pride Parade. Denver Pride is produced by The Center on Colfax, a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides year-round programs and services for the LGBTQ community.
RMCAD works with the Denver Museum of Contemporary Art to help host art workshops for middle and high school students.
RMCAD is an academic partner of EPIC Games. The partnership provides additional eductional materials and access for students to professional Art Station accounts.
RMCAD supports The Foothills Regional Emergency Medical & Trauma Advisory Council (RETAC), which provides medical and trauma policies and services to five counties.
RMCAD supports the JeffCo Economic Development Corporation. For more information on JeffCo EDC, please visit here.
RMCAD regularly hosts teachers from Jefferson County Public School District for professional development lectures and workshops. Faculty from JeffCo visit campus for a day to learn and discuss new teaching methodologies and best practices to incorporate into their own classrooms.
RMCAD supports and participates with Leadership JeffCo to help develop current and future leaders in Jefferson County.
RMCAD partners with Lighthouse Writers Workshop to co-host visiting artists, and when needed, offer facilities to host events. The mission of Lighthouse Writers Workshop is to provide the highest caliber of artistic education, support, and community for writers and readers in the Rocky Mountain region and beyond.
RMCAD hosts workshops for the public at Meininger’s Art Supply. Meininger’s has been a family-owned business since 1881 in Colorado.
Every year, RMCAD hosts National Portfolio Day (NPD) on its campus and participates in other NPD events across the country. At this event, participants have the opportunity to meet with representatives from a variety of National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD) accredited colleges to discuss and review artwork in preparation for college admission. Click here for more information.
RMCAD partners with Pop Culture Classroom to help young artists. Pop Culture Classroom delivers high-quality, all-inclusive educational resources to school districts, teachers, and community organizations using comics, graphic novels, and related pop-culture media.
RMCAD supports the Colorado Rural Alliance’s Redefining Rural team, which elevates, celebrates, and changes the way we think about rural education, communities, and opportunities in Colorado. The Colorado Rural Alliance is a non-profit that raises scholarship funds for students to pursue higher ed goals.
RMCAD partners with the RedLine Contemporary Art Gallery through artist-in-residence programs for faculty, staff and alumni; supports a scholarship for Reach Studio artists; and has a RedLine member a part of the RMCAD VASD advisory committee. RedLine is a nonprofit arts organization in Denver, Colorado that fosters education and engagement between artists and communities to create positive social change.
Through RMCAD and Sony’s partnership, RMCAD students are able to receive free photography equipment rentals.
RMCAD partners with Toon Boom, which grants all students access to their software for free, as well as provides students and faculty with access to educational training materials. Toon Boom is an award-winning software that is the global standard for animation and storyboarding.
RMCAD utilizes the University of Denver’s Department of Geography & the Environment’s Mt. Evans Field Station to host its annual Student Ambassador Retreat.
RMCAD is a clinical internship site for students in the University of Denver’s Master of Social Work Degree Program.
