RTD I-225 Rail Line Medical Center of Aurora/Florida Station Public Art Commission

This is a public art commission for the Florida light rail station on the I-225 Rail Line in Aurora, Colorado. The artwork budget is $85,000 inclusive.

The Florida station is the second station heading north on the I-225 Rail Line, located at South Abilene Street and East Florida Avenue. Travel time is 25 minutes from Union Station and 24 minutes from Denver Airport. Aurora is Colorado's third largest city, known as the historic Gateway to the Rockies, and is home to Buckley Air Force Base, the Colorado Freedom Memorial, and the Anschutz Medical campus.

The preferred artwork location is inside the covered pedestrian bridge that goes over I-225 from the station. The piece should be interactive using sound and limited light, and should appeal to people of all ages walking from the station to the medical complex on the other side of I-225. The artwork must withstand Colorado's constantly changing weather conditions including wide temperature fluctuations and intense sunlight, be resistant to graffiti and vandalism, and use durable materials requiring little or no maintenance. Electricity will be provided at the east side of the pedestrian bridge. Artwork must not violate clearance and safety regulations concerning overhead electrical wires, impede train operations, interfere with emergency lighting or exit signs, or resemble official traffic or highway signs.

Submission requirements include 8 images of past work, two professional references, and a CV/resume. Finalists will be selected by the I-225 Rail Line Art Selection Committee based on their past work, will make a site visit and prepare a proposal, and will be interviewed by the committee. The deadline for applications is June 5, 2015 at 11:59 p.m. MDT. Finalists will be notified June 29, 2015. Committee interviews are scheduled for August 21, 2015, with the final artist notified August 24, 2015. Artwork installation is planned for late 2016.