Sand Creek Trail Public Art Commission

The City of Denver's Public Art Program seeks to commission an artist or artist team to create original public artwork for the Sand Creek Trail in Denver, CO. The Sand Creek Regional Greenway is a 13.5-mile regional trail spanning Aurora, Denver, Commerce City, and Adams and Arapahoe counties. The trail officially opened in 2002 and was designated a National Recreation Trail in 2012. The most recent improvements include a three-mile paved trail from Peoria Street to Quebec Street, with an improved parking lot at the Smith Road trailhead.

The selection panel has identified two potential sites for public art: one near the trailhead adjacent to the Smith Road parking lot and another at a nearby trail intersection. Artwork should celebrate cultural diversity and richness, local history, and stories of the land; embrace connections between wildlife, plant life and humans; be inclusive and accessible; be approachable and fun; and serve as a destination where trail users can gather. Artworks could be created using diverse media including reliefs, sound elements, and sculptural applications. Durability and ease of maintenance are important considerations. The budget for this commission is approximately $60,000 USD, inclusive of all costs including design fees, consultation, insurance, materials, fabrication, transportation, installation, and contingency.

Applicants must submit six digital images of past work, a résumé, and a statement of interest (no longer than 2,000 characters) via www.callforentry.org. The selection panel will choose three to five finalists who will create site-specific proposals and be interviewed in person or virtually. Finalists will receive an honorarium for this work. Selected finalists must submit a Diversity & Inclusiveness Form. The deadline for entry is Monday, August 14, 2023, 11:59 p.m. MST. Eligibility is open to artists or artist teams residing in the state of Colorado. For all work performed on city property, prevailing wage requirements will be applied.