Public Art - Public Works & Fleet Project, Adams County, Colorado

Adams County is seeking an artist or artists to create an exterior public art installation along a 650-foot-long fence line on Dahlia Street at the Fleet & Public Works Project, located at 4955 East 74th Avenue, Commerce City, Colorado. The project is a multi-phased construction of a state-of-the-art facility for the Adams County Fleet and Public Works Departments on an 8.64-acre plot that will house three new buildings and support maintenance functions including paving, pothole repair, street sweeping, snow and ice removal, and traffic signage maintenance.

The selection panel is open to proposals for sculptural and/or mural work. Artistic inspiration should celebrate the critical work of the Fleet and Public Works teams and represent the industrial, yet community-focused environment of the area. The design should be inspired by prairie-industrial aesthetics, using materials including precast concrete and metal to create an industrial-warm atmosphere. Inspiration with an eye toward a sustainable future and the agricultural history of the area is encouraged. The selected artist will work with project stakeholders on design plans, timeline, and installation, and is expected to attend ongoing design and OAC (Owner, Architect, Contractor) meetings. The artist will advise on fencing structure, materials, foundations, and lighting. Current plans are for a solid charcoal gray metal panel fence, but material recommendations are welcome.

Project budget is $170,000, all inclusive of artist fees, insurance, stamped engineering, materials, fabrication, transportation, installation, post-installation documentation, and consultants' and subcontractors' fees. The public art installation is expected to be completed in the final phase of the project, estimated for Q1 2023. Finalists will receive an honorarium of $1,500 for proposal development and design fees. Submissions must include a resume with professional references, a one-to-two page letter of interest, and a preliminary concept statement with proposed concepts, materials, budget, and timeline (no more than 1,000 words), plus a minimum of two images or concept sketches specific to the project. Work samples should include 5-15 images and 0-6 videos. The selection panel will evaluate proposals based on creativity and concepts, overall fit to the project, quality of past work, experience with public art projects, and proposed budget and timeline.