Denver County Jail - Contact Visitation Room Public Art Commission

The City of Denver's Public Art Program seeks to commission an artist or artist team to create original public artwork for the Denver County Jail's Contact Visitation room in Denver, CO. The project budget is approximately $14,000 USD. Eligibility is open to artists or artist teams residing in the state of Colorado. The deadline is Monday, April 10, 2023, 11:59 pm MST.

The selection panel has identified the Contact Visitation room for a mural artwork. The panel seeks artists skilled in group facilitation and comfortable working with Denver County Jail staff and incarcerated residents. Artwork should be created in response to feedback from Denver County Jail communities and transform the contact visitation space from a 'surveillance zone' to a 'healing zone.' Artists are encouraged to consider biophilic design strategies that support mental health through color, pattern and subject matter. The panel is especially interested in artists who have taught inside jails or prisons or were formerly incarcerated themselves. Media and materials must be suitable for indoor paint application and display, and may be limited by Sheriff's Department policies including considerations for graffiti resistance, health and safety. Selected artists will have the opportunity to receive resiliency training before and after their work at the facility.

Work sample requirements: 6 images (required), up to 1 video, for a total of 6-7 samples. Selected artists or artist teams will be expected to comply with all Denver Sheriff Department policies and procedures, including criminal record checks and facility orientation. This artwork will become a permanent addition to the Denver Public Art collection and must be fabricated of highly durable, low-maintenance materials suitable for the public realm.