Ryan Conarro 

Ryan Conarro is a media producer and interdisciplinary artist. He creates and facilitates experiences that are focused on story sharing and creative placemaking, from audio installations and narratives, to live theatrical events, to community narrative websites. Ryan is the Director of Creative Media for the University of Denver Prison Arts Initiative. As part of that role, Ryan serves as General Manager for Inside Wire: Colorado Prison Radio, which he launched with a team of incarcerated audio producers across four state prison facilities. Inside Wire was recognized with a 2023 Silver Anthem Award for Human & Civil Rights. Ryan also served as visiting professor at University of Denver's Department of Theatre in 2020-21.

Ryan’s other leadership in the arts includes 6 years as Creative Producer and Community Projects Associate at Ping Chong + Company in New York. He’s worked as a teaching artist and Arts Content Coach for the Alaska State Council on the Arts, the Alaska Department of Education, and the Kennedy Center Partners in Education Program.

Ryan’s work in broadcasting began in 2001, when he was Public Affairs Director for KNOM Radio in Nome, Alaska; that work continued through various collaborations with KTOO Public Media in Juneau.

Ryan creates original performance works, including "Bad Husband//\\Bad Homo" and "Saints of Failure," both of which premiered at the Dixon Place HOT! Festival of Queer Culture in New York. “Saints of Failure” was recognized with an NBC OUT Queer Performer Spotlight in 2019.

Ryan earned a BFA in drama and English at NYU's Tisch School of the Arts. For his MFA in Interdisciplinary Arts at Goddard College, Ryan's focus of practice and research included documentary work and critical pedagogy. Ryan’s parents are Pat and Ginny Conarro. He grew up as an Army brat, including four years in Aurora in the 1980s while his dad was in medical residency at Fitzsimons Army Medical Center (now CU Anschutz Hospital). He remembers  spending those four years constantly longing to go to Elitch Gardens.

To check out Ryan’s portfolio, please visit www.ryanconarro.com.