Minoru Yasui Building Public Art Commission

The Denver Office of Cultural Affairs is seeking an artist or team of artists for a site-specific public art commission for the newly remodeled Minoru Yasui Building located at 333 W. Colfax Ave, on the corner of Colfax Ave and Court Street in downtown Denver. The estimated art budget for this site is $138,000.00.

The building was renovated beginning in 2001 with final construction completed in August 2004. It now houses the offices of the Denver County Court Probation, Domestic Violence, DUI Unit, Special Crimes Unit and the Juvenile Unit. The building is named in honor of Minoru Yasui (1916-1986), a long-time Denver attorney, civil rights activist and community leader who challenged the federal curfew order for Japanese Americans during World War II and was a founding member of the Urban League of Denver.

The primary locations for artwork are the east and west façades of the building. The Denver Office of Cultural Affairs is seeking 2D and 3D artists working in any medium, including light. Applicants may apply as a single artist or multi-person collaboration. The Selection Panel will review applicants through a blind review process and select up to three semi-finalists, each receiving an honorarium of $1,000.00 to prepare and present a final proposal in person.

Applicants must submit eight digital images of previously completed artwork, a résumé (no longer than two pages), and a letter of interest (no more than 250 words) through the CaFÉ online system. There is no application fee. The deadline for entry is Friday, May 30, 2008 at 5:00 pm MDT. A pre-submission meeting will be held on Friday, May 9, 2008 at 3:00 pm MST at the Wellington E. Webb Municipal Office Building, 201 W. Colfax Ave., 6th floor conference room 6.G.7. All applicants are requested to consider long-term conservation and maintenance of public art, with proposals to be reviewed by DOCA's Public Art Subcommittee and the Department of Construction and Engineering to ensure conformity with City standards of maintenance and durability. The total contract amount of approximately $138,000 is inclusive of all costs associated with the project including design fee, consultation fees, insurance, materials, fabrication, transportation, installation, and any other project-related costs.