Ska to celebrate 27 years in Durango with music, art and brews
By Melissa Voss
Durango’s Ska Brewing Co. will host an art show and month-long exhibit featuring Nan Coffey beginning Sept. 2 from 4-7 p.m. on the second floor of Ska Brewing World Headquarters.
Coffey’s work is focused on connectivity, inclusion and love. Since starting with public-participation art in 2018, she has sought to bring connection through her creative process, including individuals in all walks of life. The show coincides with the 27th anniversary party at the brewery, which is on Sept. 3.
The title for her Ska Brewing show, Art All Over, is an art style that utilizes the entirety of her canvas.
From her online biography, the San Diego-based artist states that Art All Over “takes advantage of the entire surface of her chosen canvas and that her art isn’t confined to just traditional canvases, but that she is free to express herself on any object that inspires her creativity.” Installations of Coffey’s work will be displayed at Ska Brewing throughout the month of September.
As always, the Ska anniversary bash has sold out. It will feature 30-plus other breweries and food from Heavy Burgers Food Truck.
The event also features live music performances of the band, Hepcat, with special guests, Rude Girl Revue and Denver Vintage Reggae Society.
Ska was founded in 1995 by Bill Graham and Dave Thibodeau and is located in Durango’s Bodo Industrial Park. Known for embracing rude boy and late-1950s Jamaican music culture “ska,” the brewery produces numerous award-winning beers for store shelves and their local tasting room. The facility showcases their mindfulness to the planet by practicing energy conservation and composting within their 100 percent wind-powered facility.
To continue this legacy of sustainability, Ska will donate a portion of the proceeds from the anniversary celebration to La Plata Open Space Conservatory, a private non-profit organization in Durango. The conservatory’s mission is to preserve over 20,000 acres of land. The conservatory continues to protect over 10,000 acres through partnered land trusts and management. These conserved lands contribute to wildlife habitats, open space, recreation, and historical preservation.