ABOUT
Mission
Rainbow Dome’s mission is to steward our collective joy.
Based in Denver, Rainbow Dome is a queer-centric hub that gathers people across differences to experience joy-in-motion through art and activities. We are a community venue for roller skating, entertainment, and art. Our vision is a more playful world that values accountability and connectedness.
Theory of Change
Rainbow Dome’s solution is to be a queer-centric hub that uses art and activity to facilitate authentic community formation. We are engaged in a social cohesion project that invites our audience to be unapologetically themselves and be received as such. We center joy, because we believe it is a vital state of being that supports physical and mental health and increases our resiliency. Our key programs fall into three categories:
Events through the Art of Gathering
Rainbow Dome produces events to invite our audience to experience joy-in-motion. One of our primary activities is roller skating. Other forms our events have taken are dance parties, parades, pride festivals, and live performances.
Creative World Building
Rainbow Dome fabricates artwork to elevate our audience’s experience of joy, silliness and play. Rainbow Dome’s artistic process is communal and collaborative, creating artwork that is experiential and invites activation by the audience.
Platforms for Artists & Creatives
We are building a movement with artists and community members to create more financial opportunities through our programming and networks, recommending these collaborators to our institutional partners, and increasing their visibility through our marketing capacity, so artists can thrive here in Denver.
Image Description & Text
Rainbow Dome. Joy-In-Motion. Theory of Change
Mission is within a shooting star.
Programming & Vision within two clouds at the base of rainbow.
Within the rainbow, outcomes are listed.
Short term outcomes:
-
Develop sense of belonging
-
Expand diverse artist platforms
-
Develop skills and capacity for play
-
Increase Joy & Silliness
-
Individuals feel recognized, represented, and celebrated
-
Facilitate friendships, connections, networks, and collaborations
Long Term Outcomes:
-
Audiences feel increased social connections
-
Inspire the creation of more queer-centric spaces
-
Communicate, collaborate & play across differences, identities, and cultures
-
Artists are able to thrive in Denver
-
Queering joy, silliness, and play
-
Contribute to a cultural shift to undo oppressive systems, policies, and views
​
Below the rainbow are listed Values among the flowers, which are growing above the Land & Labor Acknowledgement.
Land & Labor Acknowledgement
Rainbow Dome acknowledges that the land on which we reside is the unceded traditional territory of the Ute, Cheyenne, and Arapaho Peoples as well as the 48 contemporary tribal nations that are historically tied to the lands that make up the state of Colorado. We also acknowledge the labor of enslaved Africans and their ascendants who contributed to the growth and development of the economy, infrastructure, and culture of what we refer to as Denver and the United States. We recognize this acknowledgement only constitutes a verbal commitment and recognition. As outlined in our values, Rainbow Dome is committed to undoing and dismantling the ongoing oppressions and inequities that impact current and future Black, Brown and Indigenous communities.
Additionally, Rainbow Dome acknowledges our role and responsibility as inhabitants and neighbors to care for our environment. Stewarding collective joy extends to the land and our environment. Our values of accountability and shared abundance guide our decisions that impact our environment, from sustainable energy solutions to reusing materials in our artwork.
Our Story
Rainbow Dome was founded by Denver-based artists, Frankie Toan and Therin Zimmerman, who were burnt-out by the art world’s elitism, underpaid artist labor, and the nonprofit world. Both craved an artistic space that valued a DIY-aesthetic, authentic community formation, and centered the Queer community.
The two landed on skating as a medium for joy-in-motion because the activity relieves the pressure of socializing and refocuses any nervousness or anxiety on the difficult task of rolling upright on quad-wheeled-feet. For the non-skater or the beginner, roller skating is silly, humbling, and laughter-inducing; and for the advanced skater the endorphins of physical activity are immensely pleasurable.
While the majority of our audience do come to skate, they stay to participate in the other elements of the event, which include local vendors, DJs, performances (music, dance, comedy, etc.), and the greater invitation of socializing and connecting with potentially value-aligned peers.
Since 2021, Rainbow Dome has been hosting pop-up events throughout the Denver metro area. Most recently, Rainbow Dome was commissioned by Adams County to co-host their second annual Pride Festival. This family-friendly event had a pop-up roller rink with free skate rentals, a parade performance and flash dance, and artwork displayed throughout the Riverdale Regional Park. The impact of the event can be summarized in one quote from an Adams County staff member:
You brought so much to PRIDE. Multiple staff members and event attendees sang your praises with tears in their eyes. Happy tears and bitter sweet tears that ask why more events don't include the magical space that you create with your art practice.
Rainbow Dome is working towards opening a permanent home that will be a community venue for roller skating, entertainment, and art. With the support of angel investors, Rainbow Dome has secured 1660 Federal as the future location. Located in Sun Valley, the building has the potential to create an entertainment corridor connecting Meow Wolf, the Platte River walk, and Empower Field. Rainbow Dome’s rink and event space will be the anchor tenant in a multi-use community hub, the co-location of multiple values-aligned partners. To learn more and join the project, please visit our Capital Campaign Page.
Adams County Pride parade performers wearing white overalls, posing in front of Rainbow Dome's custom photobooth, an arch with a green fabric weave that has flowers and bright pink plush letters spelling Rainbow Dome. From Left to Right: Dana, Sky, Cass, Anna, Kate, Allison, Kayla, Chayenne, and Juice.
​