Colorado State University - Johnson Family Equine Hospital Public Art Commission

Colorado State University is seeking qualifications from artists and artist teams interested in creating site-specific public artwork for the new Johnson Family Equine Teaching Hospital (JFEH) in Fort Collins, Colorado. The project budget is $138,000, with a deadline for applications of July 26, 2019.

The Johnson Family Equine Hospital is an 85,000-square-foot complex located on CSU's South Campus along Gillette Drive. It will provide leading-edge teaching, research, and clinical services in equine veterinary medicine, including surgical and imaging services, rehabilitation and therapeutic facilities, and specialized care for various equine patient types. The facility's design will blend a high-tech aesthetic with agricultural vernacular. The Art Selection Committee is looking to commission artwork for both interior and exterior locations, with particular interest in engaging the public-facing spaces including the west entry, interior lobby, and check-in area. Artwork cannot attach to the building, but locations such as ground or floor installations are possible. The committee seeks artwork that engages with the building's activities and role as a world-class equine care facility, though connections need not be literal or representational. Selection criteria include artistic excellence, technical competence, conceptual compatibility, scale, material, form and content, appropriate relationship to site function, resistance to wear and vandalism, and ease of maintenance.

Applicants must submit 6-8 digital images of previously completed artworks, a current resume, and a statement of interest (250 words or less) via the CaFÉ online platform. There is no application fee. Semi-finalists will be invited to prepare and present final proposals in person at CSU in Fort Collins and will receive an honorarium of $1,000 for in-state artists and $1,500 for out-of-state artists. Construction is slated to begin in October 2019. All commissioned artwork will be owned by the State of Colorado via Colorado State University.