About CBAF
The Colorado Black Arts Festival (CBAF), a non-profit 501(c)3 organization, has its humble beginnings with Perry Ayers, his brother Oye Oginga and a small contingent of artists and art lovers who created, developed and established the Denver Black Arts Festival in 1986.
The first festival took place in August 1987, when it rained for two days straight. Not to be discouraged, the committee moved the festival to July so as not to be hampered by Colorado's August monsoons.
Attendance at the 2nd Annual Denver Black Arts Festival in 1988 surpassed the committee's expectations, with over 2,500 attendees. So, in 1989, the festival expanded, the community became more involved and the crowd grew to well over 30,000.
By 1990, the crowd reached 60,000 and in 1991, more than 100,000 people from throughout the Denver metropolitan area enjoyed the DBAF. Since its inception the festival has sponsored numerous community arts projects, worked collectively with other arts and cultural organizations, institutions, churches and social civic groups.
The Colorado Black Arts Festival has received many awards, hosted national and international performing and visual arts, sports and entertainment celebrities and political leaders. This distinction has placed the CBAF as one of the premiere African American arts and cultural festivals in the United States.
The Colorado Black Arts Festival Inc. is a community volunteer based art organization that works tirelessly to provide a venue for local, national and international African-American visual and performing artists to exhibit and showcase their talents. We are very proud to be one of the top five, largest African-American Arts Festivals in the Unites States.
Due to limited resources and opportunities available to the African-American arts community, a combined collective effort from volunteers, cultural institutions, local businesses, corporations, grants, foundations and media ensures that all who attend and participate will experience the beauty, creativity and excitement of one of the nation's premier African-American Arts Festivals.
To raise the level of appreciation for the role that Black Arts and Culture play in the development and well being of the community.
To provide a medium for local Black talent in the areas of Visual and Performing Arts.
To educate and stimulate cultural awareness, to cultivate harmony, pride, self-esteem and unity.
Paraphrased from notes in Gambia 1989/ By Opalanga D. Pugh (1992 DBAF Souvenior Book)
Holidays are celebrated to reinforce peoples values and to teach the younger generation in the process. Festival is a ritual of renewing life, revivng life and sanctifying life for all living things.
Festivals for ndividuals and families may accompany birth, initiation, marriage & funerals. In the life of the community there are harvest and coronation, hunting and fishing, victory and other festivals.
The annual festivals involve wearing masks, dances, feasting, making offerings and sacrifices, praying and blessing people.
Through festivals the life of the community is renewed. People are entertained and tension finds an outlet. Festivals bring people together as a group, strengthening our kinship and unity.
Artistic talents are utilized to the fullest in the form of art, music, drama and oral communication.
There is a feeling that at this time the visible and invisible worlds co-exist for the benefit of man who is at their center.
Human life needs relevant rituals and festivals to give it both solemnity and laughter.
COLBAF BAF HONORS AND AWARDS
- 1991 Mayors Award of Excellence
- 1995 Westword Best of Denver/ Best Peoples Art Festival DBAF
- Proclamations from Mayor Office 1993, 2004, City Council
- Mountain Award AALI Outstanding Contribution in the Arts
- Urban Spectrum Award for Excellance in the Arts
- 1995 Colorado Gospel Music Academy Award/ Outstanding Acheivements
- KUVO Award in recognition of outstanding contributions
- Five Points Business Association Award of Outstanding Service to the Community