Denver Mayor Mike Johnston on Tuesday announced the dual appointment of Gretchen Hollrah to remain deputy chief operating officer and have a dual role as the city’s Arts & Venues director.

Hollrah, in her new role as executive director of the Arts & Venues department, “will set the strategic direction and vision and lead the fiscal and operational strategy of the department to drive high impact, equitable outcomes,” according to a mayor’s office news release.

The Arts & Venues department acts as a marketing agency and an economic champion for Denver arts.

The department manages city-owned venues like Red Rocks, the Denver Coliseum, the Colorado Convention Center, the Denver Performing Arts Complex, the McNichols Civic Center Building and the Studio Loft above the Ellie Caulkins Opera House.

Arts & Venues serves as one of the nation’s largest non-profit theatre organizations, generating $90 million in annual revenue and attracting almost three million people a year.

Perhaps the most pressing issue facing Hollrah is the May Bonfils Stanton Theater — formerly on the Loretto Heights College campus — which Denver voter’s supported generating $30 million in tax revenue to restore the historic theater. The 1963-built theater now awaits next steps for a planned 2026 reopening, with $20 million needed to finish funding.

Hollrah took over the permanent role after former Arts & Venues director Ginger White Brunetti left the position on Sept. 30. Mayor Johnston chose not to re-appoint Brunetti.

Johnston’s administration created a task force to select its next Arts & Venues director, but ultimately decided on Hollrah.

She served as chief operating officer for Denver Center for the Performing Arts and oversaw capital projects, events, facility management and information technology. She served the city for 18 years prior as the deputy chief financial officer and Denver chief projects officer simultaneously.

Hollrah referred all questions to the Arts & Venues spokesperson, who could not be reached by press time.