RFQ Spirit of Manitou

Creative Alliance Manitou Springs (CRANE) is selecting an artist to design and produce a monumental sculpture at 134 Manitou Avenue in Manitou Springs. The sculpture will be placed on a 65-inch diameter pedestal at the Dillon Mobility Hub, located near the intersection of Highway 24 and Manitou Avenue. This location will encompass parking, a shuttle stop, public restrooms, and a connection to the Manitou Creekwalk Trail, serving as a significant gateway into Manitou Springs. The pedestal is approximately 30 feet from the historic Dillon Motel sign, which measures 16 feet tall by 11 feet wide. Installation is expected in 2026.

Submissions will be reviewed by a jury composed of local arts leaders, who will choose three or four finalists to complete project proposals. Finalist submissions will be presented to the community for feedback and reviewed by members of CRANE's art committee to select a winner. Jury members will consider aesthetic merit, sense of place, engineering, public safety, and community feedback. Three or four finalists will each receive $500 to supply a project proposal, including a detailed budget, sketches, and maquette. The chosen finalist will receive $40,000 for the fabrication and installation of the sculpture in installments beginning upon contract signing and ending upon installation. The project budget must cover all expenses associated with design, labor, fabrication, project management, materials, tools, contracted services, operations and meetings, travel, installation, insurance, transportation, and delivery of the work to the site, as well as documentation of the completed project. Any expenses exceeding the contracted amount are the artist's responsibility.

Eligibility: Artists must be eighteen years of age or older, be a U.S. Citizen or demonstrate the ability to legally work and enter into an agreement in the United States, and demonstrate experience doing public art installation work. Application deadline: August 21, 2025. Submission requirements include 3-8 images of past works, resume/CV, artist statement, references from at least three professionals with detailed knowledge of the artist's work and working methods, and a letter of interest. Timeline: September 12, 2025 (notification of finalists), October 31, 2025 (finalist proposals due), November 2025 (finalist in-person presentations in Manitou Springs), December 1, 2025 (finalist announced).