This summer, Loveland is celebrating anime and Manga culture in a way that goes far beyond the page, from a world-class photography exhibition at the Loveland Museum to a kintsugi workshop, a cosplay reception and anime film weekend at the historic Rialto Theater.
The anchor: Manga Dreams at the Loveland Museum
The centerpiece of Loveland’s manga-inspired summer is Manga Dreams, a stunning photography exhibition by celebrated international duo Anderson & Low, on view in the Main Gallery from June 26 through Sept. 12, 2026. In case you’re unfamiliar, “manga” refers to Japanese-style comics, with a similar style to anime, which is the movie or show form of this art style.
Jonathan Anderson and Edwin Low have collaborated as Anderson & Low since 1990. Their practice spans portraiture, architecture, abstraction, reportage, landscape and the nude, distinguished by a meticulous attention to concept, form, light and the craft of printing. First recognized internationally for groundbreaking work in sports, they have more recently explored the shifting boundaries between fantasy and reality, continually challenging the conventions and expectations of contemporary photography.
Their work is held in major public and private collections worldwide, including The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, the Victoria & Albert Museum in London, the National Portrait Galleries of both the United Kingdom and Australia, the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston, the National Gallery of Australia, the Cleveland Museum of Art, the Maison Européenne de la Photographie in Paris and Museet Fotokunst in Denmark. Anderson & Low served as official artists for the 2012 Summer Olympics, participated in the 54th Venice Biennale, and have collaborated with both the James Bond and Star Wars franchises. They currently have a new project on exhibition with the National Trust in the United Kingdom, made using a novel combination of photography and illustration.
Anderson & Low share a long-standing connection with Colorado, where they have exhibited since 2000 at venues including the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center, the U.S. Olympic Visitor Center and the El Pomar Foundation. Several of their seminal sports projects were created in the state, among them US Athletes and Athlete/Warrior, developed in collaboration with the U.S. Air Force Academy. They also produced City of Mines, a major long-term project documenting the historic mining town of Victor, Colorado, over the course of 15 years. Loveland marks a homecoming of sorts for the duo, who are presenting one of their most celebrated series at the Loveland Museum.
For Manga Dreams, they turned their lens on teenagers and young adults who had immersed themselves in manga and anime culture, transforming their appearance through elaborate costumes, styled hair and dramatic makeup. The artists collaborated closely with each subject, building a body of work that blurs the line between real person and illustrated character. Only the eyes were digitally altered, and everything else is real. The result is a series of images that feel simultaneously fantastical and deeply human, asking questions about identity, self-expression and the pull of imagined worlds.
Anime Film Festival at the Rialto Theater: July 10–11
The Rialto Theater, Loveland’s beautifully restored 1920s venue at 228 E. 4th St., continues the celebration with a dedicated Anime Film weekend on July 10 and 11. All films screen in Japanese with English subtitles, and there are no age restrictions. The movie lineup includes:
- Spirited Away (2001) | Friday, July 10 at 7 p.m.
- Howl’s Moving Castle (2004) | Saturday, July 11 at 2 p.m.
- Evangelion: 3.0+1.01 Thrice Upon a Time | Saturday, July 11 at 7 p.m.
Families can also catch Yu-Gi-Oh! as part of the Tuesday Family Film Series. Tickets and the full schedule are at rialtotheatercenter.org/anime.
Kintsugi Workshop with Kurt Caddy | July 25
Running alongside the exhibition is a Kintsugi Workshop led by artist Kurt Caddy, whose own practice is deeply rooted in the Japanese philosophy of wabi-sabi and the principles of kintsugi itself.
Kintsugi, meaning “golden joinery,” is the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with lacquer and precious metal. Rather than hiding the damage, it honors the breakage, treating each crack as part of the object’s story. The result is something more beautiful than the original.
Caddy, an abstract artist based near Springfield, Missouri, channels these ideas in his work through rich textures, layered color and symbolic imagery. His workshop offers a hands-on journey from brokenness to beauty — a thread that runs throughout the Manga Dreams exhibition. Check the Loveland Museum website for workshop dates and registration.
Plan your visit to Loveland
The exhibition runs through Sept. 12, giving visitors the entire summer to plan a trip. Pair the museum with Loveland’s arts district, downtown dining and easy access to Rocky Mountain scenery. With free admission and free programming throughout, a Loveland weekend built around this series is as accessible as it is memorable.
Explore where to stay, eat and play at visitloveland.com.