Athena Project Arts

Athena Project Arts We change the world, one paid artist at a time. At Athena Project, we believe that “women” means many things and can be a complicated term. The creative process.

Athena Project amplifies the voices of all women & underrepresented genders through the arts by providing paid work opportunities while also ensuring audiences get to see and hear their artistic work. We recognize that the term “women” does not automatically include all aspects of the gender spectrum. We want to create a safer space for the expression and growth for all women, non-binary, and LGBT

QIA+ individuals. Athena Project was established in 2012 by Angela Astle to close a critical gap in the creative life of the Denver community. Athena began with a playwright program called Plays in Progress – an annual event that highlights the work of women playwrights across the U.S. and brings their work to life by collaborating with directors, dramaturgs and actors. Since that time, Athena Project has gone on to produce an array of fabulous events that celebrate amazing women artists from all creative disciplines as well as empower women and girls toward artistic leadership. WE VALUE: (in order)
The inherent power in the artistic voices of women. Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion. Equality in opportunities, representation, and pay. The power of art to connect communities. Why We Need Athena
In the US, and around the world, women have a vibrant and vital presence in the arts – but did you know that right now the huge majority of women working in arts industries are in the least influential roles, with low pay and poor representation? Overwhelmingly, leadership positions like Stage Directors, Museum Chiefs, Movie Directors, Cinematographers, Choreographers, Music Producers, Head Designers, Featured Artists … are still dominated by men. This means women’s voices, influences and ideas are being systematically muffled. That’s why Athena Project celebrates and nurtures women’s artistic expression – and works actively for equality of opportunity, recognition, and pay based on artistic merit. Because enabling women’s artistic voices to be powerfully expressed alongside men’s is not just good for women – it builds a healthy society for everyone. The richer the weave of ideas around us, the stronger the fabric of our communities. Which means a more connected, less polarized, safer, and happier world for us all.

🎭✨ This Pride Month, 𝐭𝐰𝐨 𝐛𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐬-𝐢𝐧-𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬 explore among other themes transphobia, homophobia, identity, resili...
05/31/2026

🎭✨ This Pride Month, 𝐭𝐰𝐨 𝐛𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐬-𝐢𝐧-𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬 explore among other themes transphobia, homophobia, identity, resilience, chosen community, and the ways our earliest experiences shape who we become. Join our next FREE Read & Rant online meetup on:
𝐉𝐮𝐧𝐞 𝟏𝟓, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔 | 𝟔:𝟑𝟎–𝟖:𝟑𝟎 𝐏𝐌 𝐌𝐒𝐓 | 𝐕𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐥.

👉 Registration at bit.ly/49xQjT5.

𝐆𝐚𝐛𝐲 𝐋𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐭𝐤𝐚 (they/she) — 𝑅𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑊𝑜𝑙𝑣𝑒𝑠
A pack of transgender and nonbinary people, cast out and called monsters by their families and former communities, build a humble utopia in the woods to escape violence and persecution. In the refuge they create together, they find love, acceptance, joy, and a shared humanity that makes them powerful beyond imagination.
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𝐕𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐚 𝐁𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐫 (she/her) — 𝑆𝑇𝐴𝐺𝐸𝑆
Loosely inspired by Erik Erikson’s 8 Stages of Psychological Development, STAGES moves through moments when key developmental stages shape who we are and how we relate to others. Through scenes and dance, the play explores how upbringing, memory, and emotional growth influence the ways we feel, connect, and express ourselves.
victoriabaker.my.canva.site

The evening is hosted by Athena Project’s Literary Manager, Reilly Conlon, joined by Read & Rant’s Resident Dramaturg, Samara Siskind.

🎤 𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐰𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧, 𝐠𝐢𝐫𝐥𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬/𝐧𝐛 𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐝𝐲! ✨Athena Project, together with Colorado comedian Janae Burris,...
05/28/2026

🎤 𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐰𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧, 𝐠𝐢𝐫𝐥𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬/𝐧𝐛 𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐝𝐲! ✨

Athena Project, together with Colorado comedian Janae Burris, is back to curating a comedy community — and you’re invited to this month’s FREE Open Forum! 💬

Come share:
🌟 A standout moment in what you’ve learned so far
❓ What you want to know more about
📝 Jokes in progress you’d like to share or get feedback on

We’re creating a space where women, girls, and underrepresented genders can connect, share experiences, and feel truly supported. 💜

Join us for a virtual meet & greet on 𝐌𝐚𝐲 𝟑𝟏 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝟐–𝟑:𝟑𝟎𝐏𝐌 𝐌𝐒𝐓 𝐯𝐢𝐚 𝐙𝐨𝐨𝐦 to ask questions, set intentions, and help shape this exciting new community. Register at givebutter.com/comics-sound-off-may-2026.

Let’s build something that amplifies, empowers, and celebrates our voices in comedy — together. 🙌

“This piece weaves botanical illustration with highly detailed figurative drawing, centering birthing bodies and abortif...
05/28/2026

“This piece weaves botanical illustration with highly detailed figurative drawing, centering birthing bodies and abortifacient plants–many of which have been used for centuries by those seeking to reclaim autonomy over their reproductive choice. In depicting moments of labor, touch, and transformation, I aim to highlight both the vulnerability and the resilience of those navigating systems that often fail to support them.”

Much gratitude to Denver, CO-based artist Joanna Hoge for submitting their stunning art piece and these powerful words to our campaign. We are thrilled to amplify their incredibly detailed and meaningful work, and we encourage you to discover more of their art at joannahoge.com and to follow them on Instagram instagram.com/joannallyson

Do you have any Repro Justice art (in any form) or Repro Justice protest signs we could amplify? Submit at bit.ly/4t7106K and read more about the campaign at bit.ly/4dAxnW7. (All links in IG bio.)
Our Bodies. Our Voices. Our Art.

ACLU of Colorado  New Era Colorado  Period Kits Colorado Sexploratorium Cobalt SisterSong 

05/27/2026

𝐀𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐯𝐨𝐭𝐞? Do you have to jump through hoops to do so? Does the gerrymandering of your voting district leave you without representation of YOUR values?

❤️‍🔥 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐁𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐬𝐤𝐬 𝐮𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫: voting rights were never politely given. They were fought for with fire, resilience, communication, and community.

𝐀𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐚 𝐆𝐨𝐧𝐳𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐬’ 𝐀𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧𝐚-𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 at the 𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐨 𝐖𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧’𝐬 𝐇𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 honors Colorado women’s fight for suffrage — and lands with fresh urgency now, when women’s rights and voting access are once again being challenged across the U.S. Follow Ariana on

Midterms are coming up. Check your voter registration. Know your district. Know what’s on your ballot. Then come stand before this burning red heart and feel the history that made your vote possible.

See Heart Burning as part of the Center for Colorado Women’s History’s Votes and Dreams Exhibit, 𝐨𝐧 𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐥 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝟑𝟏, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟕. More info at bit.ly/3O2Pav5. Included with general museum entry.



Happy WCW! 🩸✨ This week we’re celebrating Amy Glen Bobeda — multidisciplinary poet, artist, teacher, dream worker, menst...
05/27/2026

Happy WCW! 🩸✨

This week we’re celebrating Amy Glen Bobeda — multidisciplinary poet, artist, teacher, dream worker, menstrual advocate, and fierce unmaker of patriarchal structures. ❤️

Raised on the Amah Mutsun land of the Pajaro Valley, Amy's work lives at the intersection of craft, the politicized body, labor, language, disability, and environmental restoration. Amy brings an embodied and deeply contemplative perspective to everything they create — asking how art and storytelling can become acts of restoration and resistance within the normative structures of late capitalism.

Working with poetry, textiles, fiber, metal, mud, and the body, Amy explores menstruation and the cyclical process of making/unmaking through contemplative pedagogy, gender studies, and interdisciplinary art.

Author and artist behind Red Memory (Flowersong Press) and Blood to Purify the World (Spuyten Duyvil), Amy also runs on Instagram & Substack — creating radical space for menstrual storytelling that qu**rs patriarchal narratives. Swipe to see the book cover for Red Memory, available for purchase online!

From pop-up embroidery at our recent Cocktails & Comedy event to teaching courses like The Contemplative Artist and Ephemeral Art, Amy’s work reminds us that creativity can challenge silence and reconnect body and environment.

Power to the period. ❤️🩸



Wanna see more women artists amplified? Join Team Athena as a volunteer: https://bit.ly/3WvjS0S - Volunteer

Protests—in their many forms—are why we have rights. And we will continue to protest for our rights, bodily autonomy, an...
05/27/2026

Protests—in their many forms—are why we have rights. And we will continue to protest for our rights, bodily autonomy, and healthcare access. We will continue to fight for change.

Thank you to artist Meghan Wallace, on Instagram, for allowing us to share this powerful piece as a part of the Art in Action Campaign.

Now, we invite YOU to create a Repro Justice protest sign of your own (physical or digital) and share it with us! You can submit your sign(s) to us at bit.ly/4t7106K or via DM. We look forward to amplifying your protest signs, which serve as a reminder that our voices cannot be silenced. We create loud and resist proud!

Have a favorite Repro Justice protest slogan you've seen at a recent march or rally? Drop it in the comments for some inspiration!

Cobalt ACLU of Colorado New Era Colorado Period Kits Colorado Sexploratorium SisterSong

✈️🎨 Paint a Plane with Athena Teaching Artist Natasha Rechignac!Athena Project is thrilled to connect Wings Over the Roc...
05/26/2026

✈️🎨 Paint a Plane with Athena Teaching Artist Natasha Rechignac!

Athena Project is thrilled to connect Wings Over the Rockies with Natasha, a Sedalia-based painter and educator whose nature-inspired work brings together the outdoors, animals, mountains, and surreal storytelling. 🌿⛰️✨

Join Natasha on Saturday, May 30 from 10AM–3PM at Exploration of Flight as families help bring new life to a retired Cessna 150 through hands-on mural-making. 🖌️👨‍👩‍👧‍👦

Tickets are still available at wingsmuseum.org!

"This piece juxtaposes the image of a coiled snake over a pelvic bone. The coiled snake is referential to the "Don't Tre...
05/26/2026

"This piece juxtaposes the image of a coiled snake over a pelvic bone. The coiled snake is referential to the "Don't Tread on Me" flag. This typically right wing symbol is transformed into a symbol of reproductive justice. Our bodies are not to be tread on, access to contraception and abortion must be protected for all.”

Much gratitude to artist Olivia Dorencz for submitting their art piece, “Kill or Be Killed,” and the above words for our Art in Action campaign. We were thrilled to amplify their arresting work in last year’s Virtual Art Show and encourage you to discover more of their work at punkratart.com and on Instagram Punk Rat Art

Do you have any Repro Justice art or Repro Justice protest signs for us to amplify? Submit at bit.ly/4t7106K and read more about the campaign at bit.ly/4dAxnW7 (All links are in our Instagram bio.)

Thank you for liking and re-sharing this post! We will keep fighting—and keep creating—for Reproductive Justice.

ACLU of Colorado New Era Colorado Period Kits Colorado Sexploratorium
Cobalt

Turn your rage into art. Turn your values into action. 🔥 Join Athena Project’s campaign and enter for the chance to ...
05/25/2026

Turn your rage into art. Turn your values into action. 🔥

Join Athena Project’s campaign and enter for the chance to win a Repro Justice art print or free Athena merch.

We’re adding this competition as an extra nudge to take action—and to honor the power of art, as exemplified by Athena artist Julie Kitzes’ Don’t Tread on Me snake campaign design, which probably already caught your attention. Discover her art at juliekitzes.com!

🎨 Submit protest art or a protest sign here: bit.ly/4t7106K
✅ Or complete a campaign action item, then comment on one of our Repro Justice posts or DM us to tell us what you did and why.

Until June 21, each separate visual submission as well as each social media comment or DM with a completed action count as one chance to win!

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