Denver Rainbow Market Highlights DIY Artists

The Denver Rainbow Market is open for 2024 PrideFest! The Rainbow Market features vendors from local queer and creative artists. The market is open Sunday, June 9 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. with an assortment of items that celebrate artistry and queer identity.

The Rainbow Market, hosted by The Denver Queer Art Club and Wolf Den Tattoo, is partnering with the BRDG Project Gallery (Pronounced Bridge Project). In a recent Instagram post about the collaboration, they say they aim to bring “arts back to the heart of Denver’s shifting neighborhoods by bridging artist, gallery, youth, and underserved communities together in an accessible and engaging space for contemporary expression and learning.”

The Rainbow Market anticipated a handful of applicants when they opened up applications for vendors; however, they received nearly 80 responses. The ample number of Queer Colorado-based artists display the eagerness to add to the magic of pride.

The market will feature pieces from over 50 vendors including:

1. Mean Valentine—Gender-affirming second-hand clothing.
2. Sam Scharrer, TOIL + TRBL—Denver’s only Nano-soapy witch themes soaps based on the cycles of the moon.
3. Pepperjack Art—Queer-Latino Denver-based business. Jack creates food-themed stickers that incorporate flamboyant themes to uplift gender nonconformity.
4. Lita Clay—Queer-owned pottery business that focuses on glaze chemistry, prismatic effects, and pushing the boundaries of language. 
5. Sophia Eliana—Floral arrangements that mimic the craft of storytelling through songwriting. 
6. Guillermo Holguin, Knot of Three—Digital artwork focusing on homoerotic minimalism that emphasizes the power of storytelling through simplicity.
7. Radiance Bukari, Radical Creations—Colorado-based apparel centered around self-expression as the pinnacle to embrace our most vibrant selves.
8. Kree, Made in Orbit—Metalsmith primarily in sterling silver with the incorporation of semi precious gemstones.
9. CuriOddities—creative renderings of insects, such as na bug pole dancing or DJing.
10. Maggie—Colorado Astrophotography connects people with nature by teaching them how to photograph the sky, hosting date nights, and providing photoshoots. 
11. Adam Raiola—Artist, graphic designer, and product designer who emphasizes vibrancy.
12. Audra and Ryan, Yucca Supply Co.—Latina and trans-owned company focusing on mixed media artistry with a speciality in handmade, functional decor including resin goods, sculptures, original art, and up-cycled vintage goods.
13. Amira, Serene Terrene Candle Co.—Candlemakers dedicated to creating products that inspire peace of mind.
14. Jess Vosseteig, Jess Voss Art—Queer illustrator and writer focusing on promoting inclusivity and empowerment through illustration.
15. Shayla—Queer artist who combines her love for basketball and plants to create unique art pieces that combine the natural world with the human.

These are only some of the 50-plus vendors featured at The Rainbow Market. The market is over 8,000 square feet and hosts a vibrant creative hub, including three gallery spaces, artist studios, and a performance stage.  

The Rainbow Market found its origins in 2021 when Elle Billman and Sophie Gilbert formed the Denver Queer Art Club as a way for queer people to create a community through artwork and creation. With only 12 people at their initial meeting, it has since grown into one of the largest queer artist markets in Denver.

Elle Billman creates fine line drawings often featuring queer themes. Billman says on Instagram, “What I love is getting to bear witness to artists reaching their dreams. It makes me weep. Every purchase or follow makes a monumental difference for a local queer creator, and it’s a privilege to help create space for those moments.” 

Gilbert, another co-host of The Rainbow Market, creates handmade embroidery, under the handle @honeypot.stitchery. Gilbert says, “I’m regularly immersed in the queer art community, but there is NO magical community feeling like Rainbow Market day.” 

The Denver Queer Art Club is teaming up with Wolf Den, a queer women-owned tattoo shop, to form the 2024 Rainbow Market. Wolf Den transformed its studio into a fine art gallery this fall and enjoys the first-hand joy that comes with giving a platform to artists who may otherwise not have a chance to display their work. Jess Rose, a partner to the owner of Wolf Den and a co-host to the Rainbow Market, is an artist herself. She creates specialized, large-scale leather bags that will be available to purchase at the Rainbow Market.

On Instagram, Jess Rose shares about the markets she hosts: “During the market, I’m blown away by how many people show up. It reminds me that I’m helping provide a space where people feel welcomed and perhaps are just coming out. It’s an absolute necessity to have events like ours for people to live authentically.” 

The expansive Queer Denver Art scene has items of all varieties from Artists from many walks of life. Check out the Rainbow Market on June 9 at BRDG Project (located at 3300 Tejon Street) to see and support local queer artwork.