Meow Wolf is Unionizing. Is the Age of the Starving Artist Over?
***UPDATE (7/8/22): Since we published this episode this morning, we received a clarification from a Meow Wolf representative. She wrote in response to our guest John Wenzel's description of his reporting process: "The Denver Post article came out Wednesday morning, but the Meow Wolf Workers Collective Convergence Station Organizing Committee didn't formally reach out to CEO Jose Tolosa about the union until after 5 p.m. that day, after the article was published. Meow Wolf's brief statement and lack of answers to John's questions did not come from an unwillingness to be transparent, but rather a lack of information as the situation was still evolving."
Since Meow Wolf opened the doors to Convergence Station in Denver last year, the Santa Fe-based arts collective-turned-corporation has been the talk of the town. They brought jobs, global clout, and millions of dollars to the often overlooked Sun Valley neighborhood. But the company has also struggled with lawsuits related to gender discrimination in Denver and fair pay issues in its home state. Now, the Meow Wolf Workers Collective says employees here have taken steps to unionize. Today on the show, host Bree Davies and producer Paul Karolyi are joined by Denver Post arts reporter and critic John Wenzel, whose recent piece digs into the unionization efforts at the Denver Meow Wolf outpost.
Bree also mentioned this story past guest Jason Blevins wrote for the Colorado Sun this week about the Rainbow Family gathering, which went down last week in Routt National Forest
Still don’t have plans for the weekend? We’ve got a rundown of curated picks in today’s newsletter https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/
Have you been to Convergence Station yet? Let us know what you think on Twitter @citycastdenver
Learn more about the sponsors of this episode:
Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise
Subscribe To Our Newsletter
Stay connected to City Cast Denver and get ready to join the local conversation.
Latest Episodes
Egg Salad But Make it Chic, Summer Coffee Picks, and a New Social App for the Wealthy?
Denver is officially entering the “sando” chat. Multiple restaurants around the Mile High are now serving these Japanese milk-bread sandw...
Is Waymo Watching You? Plus, Doing Boring Things in Public and a Bear Attack!
The robotaxi company Waymo has been testing cars around Denver. Last Thursday, one of the autonomous vehicles got itself stuck in the mid...
Debating Data Centers and Tipped Wages, Boosting EVs, and More Reflections on a Denver Lawmaker's Time in Office
Rep. Alex Valdez is coming up on the term limit for his stint as the House District 5 representative, and he’s looking back on some of th...
What to Do With an Empty Stadium? Plus, First Fridays and Homie the Clown
The Broncos have released updated renderings of what the new development around new stadium could look like at Burnham Yard. Now, that’s...
‘Your City Could Be Better’: Naked Neighbors, Unwelcome Pets, and Other City Life Dilemmas — Presented By City Cast Denver
As much as you love Denver, city living inherently means sharing space and resources with your neighbors, and y’all certainly have compla...
Does Denver Need a ‘Slavery Acknowledgement’? Plus, Wildfire Smoke and Women’s World Cup Hopes
Why did City Council backtrack on letting bars and nightclubs stay open to 4 a.m.? And who exactly was in favor of later let-out times in...
Why Does Gov. Polis Hate Socialism? Plus, Is Our Corn in Danger?
Gov. Jared Polis has been raising some eyebrows lately, and not just for his loud outfit at Colorado’s 150th birthday party. The outgoing...
Did BRT Construction Flood The Squire? Plus, Our Favorite New Local Businesses
After a bout of heavy rain in Denver last week, The Squire Lounge on Colfax was left several feet underwater, and people online are looki...
Cool Down With Denver’s Best Ice Cold Treats
‘Tis the season for sweet and icy treats! From a classic mangonada to innovative ice cream nachos, we’ve rounded up a list of great local...
‘Your City Could Be Better’: How One City Beat Restrictive Zoning — Presented By City Cast Denver
Do you know how zoning laws affect Denver’s housing costs? New Haven, CT, has been governed for years by restrictive zoning that made it...