Call for Proposals for Downtown Welcome Art for the Town of Castle Rock

The Town of Castle Rock Public Art Commission seeks proposals for a large-scale artwork to welcome residents and visitors to the northern entrance of Downtown Castle Rock at the northeastern intersection of Interstate 25 and Wilcox Street. The site is highly visible, serving as the primary entrance to Downtown and viewable from Colorado's central north/south interstate. Artists are invited to submit proposals that celebrate and represent the Castle Rock community through works that could tell local stories or history, strengthen community pride, evoke inspiration or joy, encourage recreation, cultivate community dialogue, foster reflection, promote unity, or instill a sense of home and place.

The site is located at the northeastern portion of the intersection of Wilcox Street and W. Wolfensberger Road, adjacent to the entrance ramp to Interstate 25. The dimensions available for art installation are 40 feet wide by 140 feet long, though proposals do not necessarily need to fill the entire space. The artwork should be distinctive in design and color, appropriate for public viewing of all ages, and ideally colorful to contrast the existing tan/concrete surroundings. The piece should be scaled for maximum viewability from vehicles traveling along Wilcox Street and relate well to surrounding architectural elements. Proposals should include lighting elements for day and night enjoyment. The artwork must be durable, low-maintenance, pose no hazard to the public, require minimal conservation (optimally maintenance-free for up to 15 years), and meet safety standards and building codes. The site can be modified to provide anchors, concrete pads, or electrical connections at the project's expense. The artwork may be required to be relocated due to future regional transportation needs.

The budget for this commission, including all elements, artwork foundation, and lighting, is $200,000. Once a finalist is selected, 10% of the project budget will be paid for design, with remainder payments completed in phases. An itemized cost breakdown is required, including design fees, materials, transportation, insurance, foundational requirements, engineering review, labor, installation, electrical connections, and plaques/signage. The project budget must include travel expenses for site visits. No design fees will be paid for preliminary sketches submitted with proposals. The submission deadline is February 25, 2024 at 11:59 p.m. MST. All proposal materials must be submitted electronically in PDF format via email to Maia Yates at [email protected] as a single document (maximum 25MB file size). Each proposal should include a Statement of Interest (250 words or less), resume, detailed budget, and detailed sketch/design. Artists may submit up to three proposals, each submitted independently. The request is open to all artists/artist teams with legal status to work in the United States. Selected artists must have general liability insurance throughout the project and agree to participate in press/media opportunities as deemed appropriate by the Public Art Commission.