Metropolitan State University of Denver Aerospace and Engineering Sciences Building Public Art Commission

Metropolitan State University of Denver is seeking qualifications from artists and artist teams interested in creating a site-specific exterior public artwork for the new Aerospace and Engineering Sciences (AES) Building. The budget for this opportunity is $115,000, covering all costs including artist design fee, structural engineering, insurance, materials, fabrication, transportation, installation, and project documentation.

The Art Selection Committee is seeking an outdoor 2D or 3D artwork for the exterior of the building, to be located outside the main entrance on the pedestrian-accessible side. The Committee is particularly interested in integrated artworks that may be located on exterior walls, integrated into the environment or landscape design, or on the ground/pavement in the main plaza area at the building's entrance. The Committee is not interested in standalone sculptures or large 3D artwork. The artist(s) will work closely with the project Architects and Landscape Designer to integrate the artwork into the building's overall design.

The Selection Committee will consider artistic excellence, technical competence, conceptual compatibility, scale, material, form and content, appropriate relationship to the function of the site, contribution to diversity of the State's public art collection, structural and surface integrity, resistance to wear and vandalism, ease of maintenance, compliance with public safety codes, and ability to withstand intense sun and snow, wind and temperature extremes characteristic of the area. Semi-finalists will be invited to prepare and present a final proposal in person and will receive an honorarium of $1,000 for in-state artists and $1,500 for out-of-state artists. All applicants must be legal residents of the United States with skills and experience commensurate with successfully completing a major public art installation. Applications must include six digital images of previously completed artworks, a resume, and a statement of interest of 250 words or less. There is no application fee.