Overview
When construction stalled on the schoolhouse’s conversion to a multi-use retail, restaurant, and events space, investors at Columbia Group and City Street Investors turned the space temporarily over to artists for studio spaces.
Originally constructed in 1904, the Evans School served Denver students for decades before closing in the 1970s. After sitting vacant for years, the building was added to the National Register in October 1980 as a celebration of its preservation throughout the 20th century.
Between October 2021 to March 2025, 52 affordable leases were secured for artist shared studio space and one small nonprofit and the Neu Folk Art Gallery, with each space ranging from $200 to $400 a month. In addition to the affordable studio spaces, the 200-seat auditorium and boiler room of the Evans School hosted ongoing community events, performances and screenings.
Our Approach
With renovation now underway, CAST Colorado continues to manage one affordable studio space for indigenous artist Jaycee Beyale.
Impact
Given the Evans School’s unique location in Denver’s Golden Triangle Creative District, its CAST-managed studio allows artists to engage with an array of nearby museums and other cultural venues.
When artists have stable places to work and live, their impact travels far beyond the walls of any one building, into movements, neighborhoods, and futures shaped collectively.
CAST’s focus on providing studio opportunities for indigenous artists reflects its solidarity with local indigenous communities, specifically the Hinono’ei (Arapaho), Tsistsistas (Cheyenne), and Nuchiu (Ute) peoples who are the original stewards of the land the Evans School now sits on.
