Downtown Colorado Springs Western Gateway Art Project

The Downtown Colorado Springs Western Gateway Art Project seeks public art proposals for the Colorado Avenue Gateway, specifically the Colorado and I-25 underpass between Old Colorado City and Downtown Colorado Springs. The primary site is a concrete tunnel serving as a major east-west traffic corridor with four motor vehicle lanes, two bike lanes, and two sidewalks. The underpass marks the border between the Downtown Creative District and the Old Colorado City Historic District, and sees tens of thousands of tourists annually in addition to business and leisure commuters. The ideal placemaking project will engender a sense of welcome and unique neighborhood identity while creating a more friendly visual linkage between the two districts, primarily by making the underpass more hospitable and engaging to non-motorized transit (pedestrians and cyclists).

Selected artists will be chosen through a jury process in which placemaking serves as the primary criterion. Secondary criteria include artistic quality and social impact, as well as long-term maintenance and safety considerations. Proposals will be evaluated for stability by the City's Office of Risk Management and a structural engineer independently contracted by Community Ventures. Artists should consider that Downtown Colorado Springs is an urban environment with works accessible to the public 24/7 and moderate risk of vandalism. Colorado weather includes extreme sun, strong winds, freezing/moisture, and fluctuations between hot and cold.

A $50,000 all-in stipend shall cover costs and compensation to the artist for treatment of the Colorado Avenue Gateway. In addition to the honorarium, each artist is offered up to 12 nights of complimentary lodging in Colorado Springs. The timeline includes a jurying process April 15-19, 2019, notification to artists by end of April 2019, planning period May-June 2019, and installation period July-October 2019 (flexible based on artist's fabrication timeline; may be pushed to spring 2020). Entry fee is $25.00. Applicants must submit 3-5 images and up to 1 video (3-6 total samples). International artists are eligible. For site specifications and additional details, visit https://downtowncs.com/wgp/ or email [email protected].