Colorado Public Radio and Denverite are launching a new podcast, Off the Walls, to spotlight Denver’s dynamic street art scene. Premiering on October 16, the series will delve deep into the stories behind the murals and the communities they touch.
Each episode will offer listeners insights into the inspiration behind a specific Denver mural and the process of its creation. Off the Walls will be hosted by CPR’s Audio Innovations Studio podcast producers Kibwe Cooper and Emily Williams. Before joining CPR, Cooper had an eight-year career in podcast hosting, audio engineering, and digital content creation, while Williams previously hosted a weekly news podcast for The Post and Courier newspaper in South Carolina.
Cooper said, “The biggest thing I’ve learned through this project is the importance of representation, of agency, and of shared community narratives. BIPOC communities and their art have often been ignored when Denver’s history is told. I believe Off the Walls will shine a light on the dedication and tenacity of underrepresented Denverites.”
Williams added, “I hope listeners get more curious about the murals they live near or see all the time. These walls can hold really special stories and memories.”
CPR’s Audio Innovations Studio Executive Producer Brad Turner commented, “A podcast is an unusual way to tell stories about murals and visual arts. But it works because the art is a starting point to explore some deep, important issues in Denver.”
The podcast has five weekly episodes lined up and is supported by PRX, the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, and the Bonfils-Stanton Foundation. To get a visual companion to each episode, listeners can subscribe to Denverite’s newsletter.