Inclusion, Diversity, Equity & Accessibility
Central City Opera is becoming more culturally responsible. Our company is on a path to becoming more equitable, diverse, inclusive and accessible. Follow us on our educational journey, and learn how opera is continuing to evolve today.
Central City Opera is committed to increasing our understanding of inclusion, diversity, equity and accessibility (IDEA) in the opera and performing arts fields. Over the upcoming months, we will implement a phased action plan that will expand our knowledge on IDEA initiatives. Through training, workshops and active listening, we plan to build new inclusive practices, as well as prioritize and celebrate diversity in our artist, production and administrative teams.
We look forward to sharing our journey with you and hope you’ll learn right along with us!
Some of the work we have done over the past year and a half:
- The creation of our Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility (IDEA) Committee
- Ongoing training for year-round staff
- Developing new community partnerships
- Expanding our programming to better serve the community in Colorado
- Embarking on a new partnership program to increase opportunities for BIPOC students in technical and production roles
- Our board has started work on creating a new five-year strategic plan for our company with inclusion, diversity, equity and accessibility as a pillar of this plan
RESOURCES
How does opera fit into contemporary issues and our world at large?
The conversation is open and ongoing with Opera Central, Central City Opera’s video interview series, “where artists and administrators come together to talk about the world of the arts.”
Meet our staff members & artists
Check out this new series on our blog to get to know the staff members, artists and technicians who make up our company. Learn about the unique perspectives and experiences they bring to CCO in order to bring stories to life.
Alliance for Music Education Equity (AMEE)
Central City Opera is a member of the Alliance for Music Education Equity (AMEE). This alliance is the backbone organization of a collective impact effort of music organizations that are passionate about equity, diversity and inclusivity and are committed to cooperatively making systemic change in music education across Denver.
En Mis Palabras/In My Own Words
Learn more about Central City Opera’s original one-act bilingual opera (English/Spanish), En Mis Palabras/In My Own Words. This opera for was created for young audiences and addresses the universal theme of adolescent development — finding your own voice and learning who you are amid parental expectations and peer influences.
Opera America
Access a collection of industry resources created and curated by Opera America to provide insight and information about equity, diversity and inclusive practices in the opera industry.




Central City Opera acknowledges that we gather and operate on the traditional lands of the Cheyenne, Ute and Očhéthi Šakówiŋ past, present and future. Further, we honor and acknowledge that 48 contemporary tribal nations are historically tied to the lands that make up the state of Colorado. As part of our commitment to Colorado history, we are dedicated to continue learning how to be better stewards of the land we inhabit, as well.