Arts liquor license

Issued to nonprofit arts organizations and municipally owned arts buildings. For Example, Denver Art Museum, or Museum of Nature and Science. The buildings offer performances or productions of an artistic or cultural nature.

Sales and service

  • Sale, service and consumption of beer, wine, and liquor by the drink for on-premises consumption only to patrons of such performances or productions.
  • Need not have food or meals available.
  • Cannot advertise the sale of alcohol anywhere on the licensed premises (interior or exterior).

Hours of operation

Seven days a week from 7 a.m. to 2 a.m.

Multiple interests

Many financial interests can have arts liquor licenses.

  • Other arts licenses
  • Beer and wine licenses
  • Brew pub licenses
  • Club licenses
  • Hotel and restaurant licenses
  • Optional premises licenses
  • Public transportation system licenses
  • Racetrack licenses
  • Retail gaming tavern licenses 
  • Tavern licenses
  • Vintner's restaurant licenses

Distance restriction

A 500-foot distance restriction from public and parochial schools, colleges, universities, and seminaries does not apply to new arts applications. No public or parochial schools can contain an arts licensed premises.

The campus of a college, university, or seminary can contain a licensed premises.

Managers

The names of all managers of arts liquor licenses must be provided to the local and state licensing authorities whether a principal to the licensee or someone else manages the licensed premises.

Any changes in managers of arts liquor licenses must report to the city and the state within 30 days of the change.

All principals to a nonprofit arts organization must qualify before a license can be issued.