RTD East Rail Line 38th/Blake Station Public Art Commission

The Regional Transportation District (RTD) of Denver, Colorado is seeking commissioned artwork for the 38th & Blake commuter rail station on the East Rail Line. This opportunity is open to artists living and/or working within the River North Arts District (RiNo) borders, which are bounded by I-70 to the North, I-25 to the West, Park Avenue West to the South, and Lawrence to the East. Artists do not need to be RiNo members, but must live and/or work within the district borders to qualify.

The 38th & Blake station is the first station heading east from Union Station on the East Rail Line, with a 4-minute travel time from Union Station and 31-minute travel time from Denver International Airport. The station will have 200 parking spaces and is directly adjacent to the River North Arts District. Potential artwork locations include plaza space, the top of the pedestrian bridge, and flat surfaces of the pedestrian bridge piers. The commission amount is $85,000.

Artwork must be durable and able to withstand Colorado's weather conditions, including wide temperature fluctuations and intense sunlight. Materials must require little or no maintenance. Artwork must not violate clearance and safety regulations concerning overhead electrical wires or impede train operations. Prior approval is required for use of electricity. The selection process has two phases: finalists will be selected based on application materials, then make a site visit, prepare a proposal, and be interviewed by the Eagle Project Art Selection Committee. Finalists will be notified November 3, 2014, with committee interviews scheduled for December 16-17, 2014, and the final artist notified December 19, 2014. Installation is planned for Spring 2016. Applications must include eight digital images of relevant work with annotations, current resume, two professional references, and an optional description of initial artwork ideas. There is no application fee.