In Grand Junction, art doesn’t stay behind gallery doors. It lines downtown sidewalks in more than 115 sculptures, spins on pottery wheels, and fills stages that have welcomed audiences for more than a century. Generations of artists, performers, and makers shaped this creative spirit—and it’s yours to explore.
Give yourself two days to see Grand Junction through an artist’s eyes. Day one starts with breakfast just east of downtown, then settles into Downtown Grand Junction, where you can park once and spend the rest of the day exploring public art, independent galleries, locally owned shops, restaurants, and historic performance venues. On day two, venture beyond downtown to discover more of the city’s galleries, studios, and performing arts spaces—with red-rock canyons, the Book Cliffs, and the Grand Mesa framing every drive.
Downtown Grand Junction: Art, Galleries & Live Performances
Morning: Breakfast & Public Art
Cat Café
Ease into the weekend with coffee and the company of a few four-legged locals. At Cat Café, adoptable cats roam, nap, play, and curl up beside guests while you enjoy coffee, espresso, chai, hot chocolate, Italian sodas, energy drinks, locally-made pastries, and other treats.
Fall for one of the resident cats? Cat Café can help make it official, with adoption support that covers vet care, vaccinations, and tips for welcoming your new companion home. Once you’ve had your fill of purrs and pastries, make the quick drive west into downtown to explore one of Downtown Grand Junction’s defining features—its public art.
Downtown Sculptures & Art on the Corner
Step outside and the sidewalks become your gallery. Downtown Grand Junction features more than 115 sculptures, many displayed through Art on the Corner, the first outdoor sculpture program of its kind in the United States.
Established in 1984, Art on the Corner transformed downtown streets into an outdoor gallery and helped establish public art as an integral part of Grand Junction’s identity. Today, works by artists from across the country turn every downtown block into a chance for discovery.
As you explore the sculptures, stop inside locally owned boutiques and shops along the way. Between the art, jewelry, home décor, and locally made goods, you may find the perfect piece of Grand Junction to carry home.
Afternoon: Lunch, Galleries & Hands-On Art
The Hog and The Hen
Stop for lunch at The Hog and The Hen, a market-style eatery known for handcrafted sandwiches and an eclectic selection of nostalgic and modern candies.
Try the Truffle Shuffle, layered with thinly sliced prosciutto, brie spread, dried pears, and truffle aioli on ciabatta, or choose the hearty Fancy Frito Pie with pork green chili, locally sourced Fritos, and savory toppings. Grab a table outside and enjoy Grand Junction's high desert weather—warm days and cool nights—or take your sandwiches to go before continuing your downtown art tour.
Uncanny Valley Art Gallery
After lunch, step into one of downtown’s more unconventional creative spaces. Uncanny Valley Art Gallery is a commission-free artist co-op where sales directly support participating artists, creating a gallery experience driven by the artists themselves.
Expect the unexpected: experimental, deeply personal work that would never fit neatly on a traditional gallery wall. Wander slowly and let a few pieces surprise, puzzle, or even unsettle you. You may leave seeing art—and what it can be—a little differently than when you walked in.
Want to create something yourself? Head into The Splatter Room, choose a canvas, suit up, and throw, drip, and splatter paint however inspiration strikes. There are no precise brushstrokes required—the experience is as much about creating as the finished piece. When you’re done, you’ll have a one-of-a-kind abstract work to take home.
437CO Art Gallery
Continue to 437CO, Colorado Mesa University’s art gallery, to discover tomorrow’s artists before the rest of the world does.
Named for its address at 437 Colorado Avenue, the gallery showcases work by CMU’s graduating art students alongside national and international guest artists. Admission is free, and opening receptions and artist talks are open to everyone. With exhibitions changing throughout the year, each visit pairs rising talent with perspectives from far beyond Grand Junction.
Tucked behind the gallery is Desert Dog Press, the university’s letterpress shop, where students and artists keep a centuries-old printing craft alive and evolving.
Working Artists Gallery & Stained Glass Supplies
As Grand Junction’s oldest gallery, Working Artists Gallery has a longstanding place in the area’s arts community. The gallery represents more than 90 local artists and over 15 potters, so nearly every medium and style you can imagine shares one roof.
Browse pottery, fine art, Native American jewelry, stained glass, and other handcrafted pieces, with each work reflecting the skill and perspective of its creator. This is the place to find an original piece made by the artists who call Grand Junction home.
West Winds Gallery
Continue the afternoon at West Winds Gallery, a locally owned space featuring fine art and handcrafted works from artists whose pieces often reflect the landscapes, textures, and character of the region.
The collection includes hand-thrown ceramics, sculpture, jewelry, paintings, and other carefully crafted pieces. Take your time here—the gallery rewards a closer look at the materials, techniques, and details behind each work.
Canvascape
At Canvascape, the landscapes and wildlife that surround Grand Junction take center stage.
Browse canvas prints featuring dramatic scenery and detailed wildlife, or create something more personal using the studio’s custom canvas-printing services. A favorite image from your Grand Junction trip can become a finished piece of art—and a lasting reminder of the landscapes you experienced while you were here.
Evening: Dinner & a Downtown Show
Bistro 317
Settle in for dinner at Bistro 317, a family-owned restaurant in the heart of Downtown, where classic French cooking gets a distinctly Southern soul.
Savor the Confit Duck à l’Orange, a crisp duck leg confit finished with a classic orange-Cognac gastrique. Or go bold with the Bistro 317 Creole Bouillabaisse: white fish, shrimp, mussels, clams, andouille, and blackened alligator in a saffron-tinted seafood broth, served with a glazed baguette and Creole-saffron rouille.
Every entrée comes with a suggested wine pairing, making it easy to raise a glass to the day before the curtain rises.
Choose Your Downtown Stage: Avalon Theatre or Mesa Theater
End your first day with live entertainment. Downtown Grand Junction gives you two very different stages to choose from: a century-old theatre or an up-close live-music room.
Avalon Theatre
Audiences have been taking their seats at the Avalon Theatre since 1922. An extensive renovation completed in 2014 preserved its historic character for a new generation, so you can feel a century of performances the moment you walk in.
On any given night, you might catch a concert, a comedy set, a film, or a touring theatrical production on its historic stage.
Mesa Theater
For a more intimate and high-energy experience, head to Mesa Theater. A longtime part of Grand Junction’s live-music scene, the venue regularly hosts touring musicians, bands, DJs, and other performers.
Its casual, up-close setting puts the audience near the action, providing a lively contrast to the grandeur and history of the Avalon Theatre—and an energetic way to close out your first night.
Beyond Downtown: Studios, Galleries & Performing Arts
Day two expands the canvas. Start with breakfast before exploring more of Grand Junction’s creative spaces, from established arts institutions to studios where you can make something of your own.
The scenery between stops is part of the experience. Look east toward the Grand Mesa, the world’s largest flat-top mountain; west toward the red-rock canyons and monoliths of Colorado National Monument; and north toward the Book Cliffs, home to a herd of wild horses. In Grand Junction, the landscapes that have inspired generations of artists are rarely far from view.
Morning: Breakfast, Exhibitions & Creating Your Own Art
Spoons Bistro & Bakery
Start day two at Spoons Bistro & Bakery, where freshly baked biscuits, thick slices of cinnamon walnut bread, and breakfast favorites await. Treat yourself to the Crabby Dreamer, an eggs Benedict layered with king crab, asparagus, applewood smoked bacon, and tomatoes. Or go local with the Colorado Burrito, filled with mashed avocado and spinach and topped with homemade pork green chili.
On weekends, brunch adds burgers, skillets, and a Bellini or mimosa to the lineup. Your meal does a little good, too: proceeds from Spoons support HopeWest, a nonprofit that helps families through aging, illness, and grief.
The Art Center of Western Colorado
Since 1953, The Art Center of Western Colorado has been where Grand Junction comes to see, study, and make art.
Multiple galleries feature changing exhibitions spanning contemporary works, traditional Western art, and pieces from the center’s permanent collection. The Art Center is more than an exhibition space, however. Classes, workshops, lectures, and community events invite you to pick up a brush, not just admire one.
More than seven decades in, it remains a cornerstone of Grand Junction’s creative story—and a fitting stop as Colorado celebrates its 150th anniversary and America marks its 250th. Whatever else is on your itinerary, don’t leave Grand Junction without visiting this gem of an arts center.
Angelo’s Pottery Studio
Next, trade viewing art for making it at Angelo’s Pottery Studio. This family-owned studio invites guests of all ages to get creative and leave with something uniquely their own.
Choose from hundreds of paint-your-own pottery pieces, including mugs, bowls, plates, and figurines, then personalize your selection with your own colors and design.
For a more immersive experience, plan for a wheel-throwing lesson and other creative events led by experienced instructors. It’s a chance to learn a new technique, get your hands a little messy, and create a personal souvenir from your Grand Junction trip.
Afternoon: Heartland Lunch & a Campus Art Walk
Stella’s on 7th
Take a detour to the Heartland at Stella’s on 7th, home of the giant fried pork tenderloin sandwich. Each tenderloin is hand-pounded, brined, battered, and fried to a golden crunch in beef tallow.
One of Grand Junction’s newer restaurants, Stella’s has already earned more than 230 glowing reviews, and its following keeps growing. Word around town is clear: this one is worth the stop.
Every sandwich nods to a different Midwestern state. Go with the Hawkeye, an Iowa classic with onion, pickles, and mustard, or the Badger, topped Wisconsin-style with sauerkraut, red onion, and German mustard. Start the table with Wisconsin fried cheese curds and house raspberry dipping sauce, or Southern fried green tomatoes with honey hot mayo.
Kephart Campus Collection Tour
Spend the afternoon on a self-guided art walk across Colorado Mesa University’s campus, where dozens of paintings by renowned artist Jac Kephart hang in seven buildings. A CMU alumnus who worked as a florist by day and painted by night, Kephart donated more than 40 works to the university.
Pick up a tour map at the CMU Foundation, 1450 N. 12th Street, or reference the the CMU Jac Kephart Collection digital map, then wander from the University Center to Houston Hall and beyond. Kephart was also a devoted supporter of The Art Center, making this a fitting follow-up to your morning there—and you’ll already be on campus for tonight’s performance.
Evening: Dinner & Performing Arts at Colorado Mesa University
No Coast Sushi
Before the final performance of your weekend, stop at No Coast Sushi for inventive rolls, small plates, and Japanese-inspired dishes.
Order a specialty roll dressed in house-made sauces, or stick with traditional favorites. Beyond sushi, the menu includes ramen, pork belly ramen, katsu, and yaki-udon.
Pair dinner with wine, sake, a handcrafted cocktail, or another drink before making your way to Colorado Mesa University for the evening.
Choose Your CMU Stage: Asteria Theatre or Moss Performing Arts Center
Complete your arts and culture weekend where education and performance come together at Colorado Mesa University. Depending on the performance calendar, choose between the university’s contemporary Asteria Theatre or the longstanding Moss Performing Arts Center.
Asteria Theatre
Photo by: Laura Bradley
Asteria Theatre—its name meaning “of the stars”—is one of Colorado Mesa University’s newest cultural landmarks and a stage worthy of its name.
The contemporary venue welcomes concerts, university performances, community events, and nationally touring productions. Its Broadway Series brings major theatrical productions to Grand Junction, expanding the range of professional live entertainment available in the area.
Sleek, modern, and built for big productions, Asteria is the next chapter in Grand Junction’s performing arts story.
Moss Performing Arts Center
The Moss Performing Arts Center showcases another side of Colorado Mesa University’s creative community. Home to the university’s Department of Theatre Arts & Music, the center brings students, faculty, visiting artists, and audiences together through theatre, music, and dance.
Programming throughout the year includes choir and instrumental concerts, theatre productions, opera, dance, CMU Bands, Mesa Winds, string chamber ensembles, percussion performances, symphony orchestra concerts, and more.
After two days of galleries, public art, hands-on creativity, and live performances, it’s a fitting place to conclude the weekend—experiencing the artists and performers who are helping shape the next generation of Grand Junction’s creative story.
Looking for more artsy experiences? Check out pages 27 – 28 in the Official Grand Junction Visitor Guide for other creative inspiration ideas.