Over the past two decades, the Arvada Center galleries have emerged as the most important showcase for Colorado artists, taking that mantle from the region’s larger art institutions that have largely focused their (locally funded) resources on major exhibitions featuring outside voices.

And it has done so with relentless gusto, using its massive exhibition spaces to produce a multitude of shows that have defined the careers of individual artists while also creating a historical record of what this state has produced artistically over the last half-century. It is important work that no one else does.

The center is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year with an exhibition that looks back at the highlights of its programming. The show is a colorful timeline recalling the center’s greatest hits and quirkiest moments. It’s both sentimental and exciting.

The person behind the center’s operation is long-time director and curator (and Colorado art hero) Collin Parson. The big anniversary seemed like a good opportunity to ask him to look back — and forward.

Q: Can you give us some quick background? We know you as both a busy artist making local shows and as a curator. 

A: I grew up in a Denver house full of artists. My father, Charles Parson, is a multidisciplinary artist, and my mother, Evalyn, was a modern dancer. They met at the Changing Scene Theatre in downtown Denver, and both parents actively helped develop the local art scene we know today.

I grew up around my father’s peers (Clark Richert, Dale Chisman, Margaret Neumann, Robert Mangold and Dave Yust, to name a few) and followed in my parents’ footsteps. I’ve been an active visual artist for over 20 years, balancing my art practice with my role as a full-time curator and a father.

Each role has its own unique challenges and fulfillments, but at my core, I have to keep making and creating.

Q: Can you briefly explain the mission of the galleries? 

A: The Arvada Center galleries are special. A few years ago, we added the tagline “Home of Colorado Artists” to the galleries. Since opening in 1976, we have been an important institution featuring the best artists in the region. As curator, my goal is to create exhibitions for our artists that provide them with the freedom to experiment and get excited about new ideas, and expand the idea of what art is and can be for our patrons.

I’m often guided by my dual identity as an artist and a curator. I ask artists what they are excited to share, collaborating with them to decide the best way to present their artworks. Sometimes this leads to more experimental installations, like Patrick Marold building a circular forest of 40-foot-tall pines in the main gallery, or Sue Oehme stringing up hundreds of rainbow monotypes in the foyer.

With my background in sculpture and installation, these huge, first-time installs excite me, and local artists get to experiment in ways that aren’t always possible in other galleries.