KYLE HARRIS | MAY 23, 2019 | 8:44AM

Levitt Pavilion's free concert series starts Memorial Day weekend.

Denver has one of the most active live-music scenes in the country, yet artists constantly complain that the biggest venues are too often reserved for out-of-town acts. But there are plenty of smaller stages run by independents, from the hi-dive and Syntax Physic Opera to the Lion’s Lair, Streets, the Oriental Theater and Your Mom’s House, offering places where Colorado musicians can build their careers and local audiences can enjoy homegrown music.

Artists can also earn fans through collaborations with other cultural institutions that care about the Denver scene. Leading the way are two art-house efforts: Film on the Rocks, run by the champions of independent cinema at the Denver Film Society, brings mid-level metro-area locals like Ramakhandra, Neyla Pekarek and YaSi to Red Rocks Amphitheatre; Alamo Drafthouse Sloan’s Lake books a compelling series of small- to mid-level Front Range artists in its Barfly venue, giving film-goers the chance to experience sounds they might otherwise never encounter.

Even large cultural institutions like the Clyfford Still Museum, the Museum of Contemporary Art, the Denver Art Museum and the Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities host concerts by acts both small and large. Many of these facilities also host outdoor concerts that make for perfect spring and summer outings.