Denver Latino Cultural Arts Center Opens Las Bodegas as Permanent Home for Art and Community
At a ribbon-cutting on Oct. 24, Denver’s Latino Cultural Arts Center opened Las Bodegas in a renovated warehouse at 1935 W. 12th Ave., between the Sun Valley and La Alma-Lincoln Park neighborhoods. The opening followed years of planning, fundraising and construction. For board leader Celina Benavidez, owning the land and building was a central achievement in a part of Denver where generations of Latino families have faced displacement. Founder Adrianna Abarca initially envisioned a three-story cultural complex. When that plan proved difficult to realize, she donated warehouse property to the nonprofit. Construction began in April 2025, transforming the industrial space into a roughly 10,000-square-foot center with classrooms, artist workspaces and facilities for digital media and community gatherings. The organization says its festivals, exhibitions and educational programs reached nearly 70,000 people over seven years before it had a permanent home. The opening included a blessing by Thomas Lopez, who spoke about the Indigenous roots of Latino identity and the Cheyenne and Arapaho peoples, followed by ceremonial dancing. Visitors took part in jewelry-making, yoga and aromatherapy. A donor installation planned for late November will recognize volunteer labor and community contributions alongside financial gifts. Former executive director Alfredo Reyes recalled two construction workers who told him that, after nearly four decades building in Denver, they had never worked on a project they could return to and enjoy with their families.
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