Last week, for the first time in almost two years, the Chicano Humanities and Arts Council (CHAC) welcomed visitors into its own gallery.
On June 3, more than 400 guests flooded into the vast gallery space at 1560 Teller St. for CHAC's grand opening of the new space that included art and dance performances by Grupo Huitzilopochtli.
"It was very successful. We saw a lot of people, new and from the past. So it was an exciting time for us," said CHAC executive director Brenda Gurule.
The event also marked the opening for the arts nonprofit's first exhibition in the new space, A Journey Through Generations, a tribute to late muralist, tattoo artist and community leader Alicia Cardenas. Her work is displayed on the first wall when you walk into the space -- framed photos of Cardenas' murals, two original pieces, and a depiction of Cardenas created by her father. The other works featured in the exhibition were created by both established and new CHAC artists in partnerships meant to bridge gaps between generations and to carry CHAC's history and traditions into the future.
It's a fitting theme for the start of this new chapter for the legacy group, which has endured a difficult few years marked with loss, a pandemic and rising rent prices.
"We made it work and we survived. That's all we can ask for, and we did it," Gurule said. "So we're pretty excited about what the future might hold now that we have our own home."
CHAC was founded in 1978 by art community leaders to provide space and opportunities for Chicano and Latino artists to display their work and to learn from one another through artist workshops and community programming.
For 43 years, the nonprofit has functioned as a hub for Chicano and Latino artists, including pioneers like Emanuel Martinez, Jerry Jaramillo and Tony Garcia.
In 2018, CHAC moved from its historic gallery on Santa Fe to a new location at 222 Santa Fe Dr., where they saw significantly less foot traffic. Gurule said that just as they were beginning to finally build momentum, the gallery was forced to shut down in-person operations due to the pandemic. In July 2020, the nonprofit moved to a primarily virtual model, and partnered with other galleries to stage in-person shows and events throughout the metro area.
During that time, CHAC lost some of its key leaders. Featured artist Bob Luna passed away in July 2021. CHAC co-founder Stevon Lucero, a beloved "master artist" and a mentor for younger artists, died in November 2021. CHAC member Alicia Cardenas was killed during the mass shooting on Dec. 27, 2021.
Earlier this year, the decades-old legacy Denver arts organization announced it was leaving the city. It had been priced out of the Arts District on Santa Fe and would be moving to Lakewood's 40 West Arts District, a growing arts scene built along West Colfax in Lakewood. In recent years, the area has welcomed a number of galleries that originated in Denver, including Pirate: Contemporary Art, Edge Gallery and Next.
CHAC didn't make the decision to leave Denver lightly.
"We didn't want to leave Denver. Because of the pandemic, we had no choice," Gurule said. "We're a small nonprofit. And, as you know, the rents are astronomical here in Denver right now."
Still, a gallery in the 40 West Art District was appealing for a number of reasons.
"We were hoping to get back into an active art district," Gurule said. "They're up and coming, but they have been very supportive "
The rent was cheaper. It was also a larger, already gallery-ready space that required few modifications. It had a parking lot, and outdoor space that'd enable CHAC to host outdoor events.
"The places that we have been before, when you walk out the front door, you are right on the street. This one is like you walk out the front door, you have room, we have a parking lot. We have space," said board chair Renee Fajardo. "This space is a very healing space for us. It's sort of like all of the struggles that we've had, that the whole space is just a very nurturing and loving space for us to get this fresh start."
The low cost of rent also means CHAC can now allocate more funds to community events and programming, something that for decades had been a key part of what made CHAC what it is. It's a step up from their last location on Santa Fe, Fajardo said, because that spot didn't get a lot of foot traffic. It was isolated from most of the other galleries on the street.
"It was almost like we were disconnected from everything for like five years, in essence," Fajardo said. "We have always been used to being part of a neighborhood and part of the district. It's really great to be part of a neighborhood where there is life."
The Lakewood community also seemed a good fit for CHAC.
"There is a big Hispanic population or Latinx population here in Lakewood," Gurule said, adding that CHAC might be able to provide a space where they'll feel welcome.
Fajardo said the move has also allowed CHAC to go back to engaging people who love art but who might not be able to afford expensive, contemporary fine-art pieces.
"It kinda feels like we're back in CHAC in the '90s and '80s. It's pretty humble," Fajardo said. "It's not a bunch of super-rich yuppies that are buying very expensive designer art. It's the same people. Art of the people, folk art, art that people can afford to take home with them. So we don't have to have $15,000 paintings in order to make our rent for the month."
The opening exhibition, A Journey Through Generations, honors the legacy of CHAC member Alicia Cardenas.
Cardenas, who was known in Denver as a leader and mentor in the arts and tattoo scene and an advocate for indigenous and Chicano/a/x artists, had curated a Chicanx and Latinx art exhibit called Generations in 2021. It was part of her larger commitment to building connections between elder CHAC members and emerging artists, believing these mentorships might pave the way for young artists while also passing down the expertise and experiences of more storied artists.
The new exhibition, curated by CHAC artist Rebecca Rozales and board member Sonia Del Real, is a continuation of Cardenas' work. Gurule said CHAC invited even more artists to participate this time around.
"Some galleries aren't open to taking student artists or artists that are still refining their art," Gurule said. "So we want to make sure everyone knows that they're welcome. Because that was the whole reason for starting CHAC."
Gurule said that the last few years have provided space to think about CHAC's goals for the future. She said that now that they can stage live events on their own schedule again, CHAC hopes to push its cultural education program further. They also hope to build membership back up after it declined because of COVID.
"COVID was not a blessing, by any means. But in a way, it was an opportunity to complete some things that we hadn't done, like our strategic plan. We've also worked on a corporate sponsorship packet," she said. "And we're just looking forward to what changes and positive change we're gonna make."
She says the pandemic and the move to Lakewood might also help open up CHAC members to growth and change.
"Sometimes, the artists, they're just so used to the way things were," Gurule said. "And I think the pandemic forced everybody to regroup. It forced everyone to make a change, we had to make a change if we're going to survive."
The idea for this exhibition is to carry CHAC's traditions through all of the changes it is facing, and might face in the future, under the mentorship of elders and the leadership of new generations.
"We need to start making room for the new generation to come in and taking the lead," Fajardo said. "All of the people who founded CHAC are aging. They're, in their '60s, '70s, '80s. And the new generation, it was like really to be relevant and vibrant to them, CHAC needed to take a look at, how do we start to cater to their needs and actually attract them."
She said the younger generations might help CHAC break into digital art or develop new takes on old ideas, and generally seek out new frontiers in art.
"Because that's what their job is. They're the new leaders," she said. "We thought we were cutting edge at one time. That's what we really need, is for the new generation that's coming in to sort of set that pace of where they want to take CHAC."
CHAC's gallery at 1560 Teller St. in Lakewood is open on Wednesday-Saturday from 12-4 p.m., and on First Fridays from 3-9 p.m.
