If you think you have to be in a big city to reap the benefits of a community steeped in the rich cultural benefits of artistry, performing arts, musical performances, and more — think again! Steamboat Springs is home to a wide array of individuals dedicated to the theater, musical instruments, and beautiful forms of dance. Check out these organizations, exhibitions, and productions in and around the Yampa Valley and find new ways to get involved in bringing the community together to celebrate art.
Steamboat Art Museum
Exhibitions at the Steamboat Art Museum rotate throughout the year, so visit frequently to see what’s new. The museum is open from 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM on Tuesdays through Fridays and closes at 5:00 PM on Saturdays. Upcoming Steamboat Art Museum events include the Plein Air Sunset Reception at the Yampa River Park on September 24th. Attendees will have the opportunity to meet the artists and purchase one of their plein air pieces. Additional opportunities include the SAM Workshop from September 28th through the 29th and the First Friday ArtWalk on October 4th from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM. Beginning in December, the Art in Sport: Motion and Emotion exhibition will be on display. The exhibit explores the dynamic interplay of movement and emotion in sports through photography, sculpture, and painting.
Piknik Theatre
The Piknik Theatre in Steamboat Springs is a non profit theatre company with a mission to create professional, entertaining, and inclusive performing arts in the Yampa Valley region that encourage the accessibility of performance for everyone. Free productions put on by the group have the power to influence arts education and provide opportunities for professional artists to teach workshops and share their knowledge with the younger generations. Both professional actors and local talent collaborate during the summer season to put on performances for the community. This unique opportunity provides everyone involved with a great sense of achievement. During the summer months, try to catch a performance in the Yampa River Botanic Park! There are camps offered during the summer months for ages 6 to 9 and 9 to 18, which allow students the chance to improve their skills and surround themselves with like-minded peers.
Colorado New Play Festival
The Colorado New Play Festival brings together a diverse array of voices, ideas, and beliefs to the American Stage. The festival has been taking plays from page to stage for 25 years and draws many visitors to Steamboat Springs each year. The next Colorado New Play Festival is scheduled for June 8th, 2025 — so there’s still a ways to go! However, it’s never too early to circle the date on your calendar. Aside from the festival itself, there are other programs throughout the year such as the Youth Storytelling Slam hosted at the Bud Werner Memorial Library. Professional actors from Denver make the trip to Steamboat Springs to read stories from Routt County’s aspiring young writers. This program is made possible due to the partnership between the Colorado New Play Festival and the Boys & Girls Club of NW Colorado.
Opera Steamboat
📷 Photo courtesy of Opera Steamboat
Opera Steamboat was founded way back in 2002 to bring world-class singers to Steamboat. The organization is currently in the process of rethinking their role in the community to better reflect the mission of the organization to enrich the well-being of the community through innovative, educational, and collaborative musical arts programs. Recent events have included Welcome to the Madness in August with a score by Leanna Kirchoff and Libretto by Rachel J. Peters.
Steamboat Symphony Orchestra
📷 Photo courtesy of Steamboat Symphony Orchestra
The mission of the Steamboat Symphony Orchestra is to integrate the unique experience of orchestral music into the heart of the community. Not only does the orchestra strive to deliver outstanding professional performances, its mission is to also provide music education that’s both accessible and compelling for the next generation of artists and performers. The orchestra offers seasonal concerts featuring local, national, and international guest artists. The group also puts on a summer music series where the community can enjoy free ensemble performances. There are an array of collaborative concerts throughout the year meant to attract a diverse audience and bring beautiful music to everyone’s ears. Upcoming concerts include a Holiday Concert: Finding Christmas at the Strings Music Pavilion on December 6th and 7th. This annual holiday extravaganza features your favorite festive music, as well as a Christmas carol sing-along. Mark your calendars for April 4th & 5th of 2025 as well, as the orchestra will be performing their spring concert titled: Celebrating Sant’Ambrogio.
Steamboat Dance Theatre
The Steamboat Dance Theatre’s mission is to engage, educate, and enrich communities in the Yampa Valley through dance and movement. The vibrant culture of dance in the valley invites anyone and everyone to express themselves through movement. Upcoming events include the “A Local Dance Collective” on September 27th and 28th. Join the dance theater as they participate in a showcase with other Yampa Valley studios, artists, educators, and groups – all performing together under one roof! Performances will be held at 7:00 PM at the Strings Music Pavilion and will feature talent from Elevation Dance Studio, Forty106 Dance Project, Jasmir Belly Dance, Mod Vaude, Yampa Valley Vixens, Perry Mansfield, and Bella Movement. Over 60 cast members will be performing across a variety of dance styles designed to entertain the whole family. Tickets are on sale for $30-$45 and go towards helping to fundraise for scholarships and programming for the Steamboat Dance Theatre.
Steamboat Creates
The mission behind Steamboat Creates is to enhance the quality of life and economic vitality for the creative sector through promotion, education, connections, and more. Community members and visitors alike deserve to appreciate the arts and various cultural experiences, all while growing engagement and support within the region. Whether you’re seeking the perfect creative job, an internship or you want to apply for scholarships and grants — Steamboat Creates has robust connections that can help get you where you want to be. There are various community classes offered throughout the year, such as weekend workshops in oil monotype with stencils (October 19th & 20th). Other Steamboat Creates events include Art in the Park, First Friday Artwalk, Holidays in the Rockies, and Winter Carnival Snow Sculptures.
The Yampa Valley Choral Society
The Yampa Valley Choral Society is dedicated to creating an environment that not only appreciates choral music but celebrates it as well. The society provides opportunities for people coming from a wide range of musical abilities to participate in choral singing while providing audiences with entertaining and uplifting performances. There are also leadership opportunities and support services for established and emerging vocal groups. The society often collaborates with other arts and nonprofit organizations in the area, which strengthens the community and culture surrounding performing arts and live performances. Upcoming events include the Christmas Concert by the Steamboat Chamber Singers on December 13th and 14th at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church and the Winter Concert by the Yampa Valley Singers on January 17th and 18th at the Heart of Steamboat United Methodist Church.
Undiscovered Earth
📷 Photo courtesy of Undiscovered Earth by Dagny McKinley
Undiscovered Earth is made up of community members who are not only passionate about the arts but are dedicated to building a robust future of creativity and culture in Steamboat Springs. The organization has a variety of programs and projects on the docket, dedicated to finding affordable rehearsal and performance space for performing arts nonprofits and Prescription for the Arts, which is a partnership between healthcare providers, social care providers, and school partners to connect clients with resources to support short and long term needs and goals. Another ongoing project is All Arts Week, which is designed to celebrate the abundant creativity found across northwest Colorado. Performances and workshops include performing arts, visual arts, literary arts, and heritage. Stay tuned for additional details and to help support Undiscovered Earth in reaching their goals!
Perry-Mansfield
📷 Photo courtesy of Perry-Mansfield by Grace Stockdale
The mission behind Perry-Mansfield is to provide young people with arts training in body, heart, and mind to promote creativity, a sense of association with the arts, and value for a way of life that’s close to nature. Perry-Mansfield is the oldest continuously operating performing arts camp in the United States and was founded way back in 1913 by Charlotte Perry and Portia Mansfield. The camp has stayed true to its principles that through the exploration of arts in a natural setting, individuals are inspired artistically, emotionally, and physically. Today, Perry-Mansfield continues to provide a unique artistic experience for students across the world and successfully attracts world-class faculty to help achieve this mission. The Players at Perry-Mansfield is housed in the Julie Harris Theatre on campus and the group meets monthly on the first Wednesday of the month. Check out upcoming plays and showcases, such as The Thanksgiving Play on November 21st-23rd and Tuesdays with Morrie that’s set to premiere in March of 2025.
Strings Music Festival
📷 Photo courtesy of Strings Music Festival
The Strings Music Festival is known for bringing high-caliber live music to the high mountains of Steamboat Springs. Attendees can enjoy the highest quality performances in an intimate setting, featuring genre-spanning lineups from classical musicians from the nation’s top orchestras to chart-topping contemporary artists. The 569-seat pavilion succeeds in bringing audiences closer than ever to the performers each year, all with the picturesque Steamboat mountains in the background. Apart from the venue, the Strings Music Festival continues to serve the community via free programming and an in-school educational program called Strings School Days. This program is designed to cultivate music appreciation in Northwest Colorado’s K-12 student body. Through these innovative programs and intimate performances — Strings Music Festival is one of the leaders when it comes to enhancing cultural, educational, and entertainment experiences in the Yampa Valley region and continues to attract hundreds of visitors to the area who want to embrace these values as well.
Celebrate Performing Arts, Culture and Art Exhibitions in Steamboat Springs!
With so many local organizations and groups dedicated to enhancing the culture throughout the Yampa Valley through performing arts, music, visual art, and more — there are a multitude of ways to get involved with the community. Whether you’re inspired by dance, orchestra performances, or the written word, there’s a place for you to thrive in Steamboat Springs.