Terminal Kings
Named “The Best U.S. Airport for Art”, The Denver International Airport has always strived to be more than just a utilitarian hub for transporting passengers from point A to point B. When the Airport was faced with it’s largest construction project since it’s opening in 1995, they wanted to hold true to their love of art and keep their Airport beautiful. That’s when DIA and the public arts program of Denver sought our help to turn a construction project into a public art project. We wanted to help our clients mix up an experience that was equal parts art, education, and music. The end result? A community public art event called “Terminal Kings” that would go down in Denver history, and 3 of the largest hand-painted murals ever commissioned by an Airport.
Because this event was about art in the Denver community, we were intent on educating the public about Denver’s robust public arts program, as well as on how the art is made. Because of this, we chose 3 graffiti artists, David Cho, Highraff, and Sam Flores, to paint the murals for Terminal Kings. Graffiti is an art form that is often under-appreciated and misunderstood, and since it is also commonly found in construction sites, it seemed the perfect match for the project. With the help of local sponsors such as Icelantic Skis and the University of Denver, Terminal Kings was born. The event took place in City Hall over the course of 10 days: murals were painted live in front of the audience whenever inspiration struck the artists – both day and night. Educational presentations and talks were given during the day, and music performances turned the venue into a concert during the nights.
The results were outstanding on all channels. Over the course of the ten days and nights, 10,000 people attended the exhibit, making it the most highly attended non-permanent art exhibit in Colorado that year. The Terminal Kings Facebook page went from 0 to a staggering 2,000 followers over the course of a week, and the story was picked up by almost every news outlet in the State.
Terminal Kings offers proof that sometimes the most unlikely things can be an opportunity to create an interactive experience. Whether you’re trying to build a loyal fanbase, increase brand recognition, or find unique new ways to reach your target audience, Pineapple can help.
