Waldo Canyon Fire Memorial in Mountain Shadows Park

Colorado Springs Together is commissioning a Waldo Canyon Fire memorial to recognize the tragedy of the June 2012 wildfire and symbolize the community's resilience. The fire destroyed 347 homes, damaged countless other buildings, and resulted in two deaths in the Mountain Shadows neighborhood on the northwest side of Colorado Springs.

The Request for Qualifications seeks artists or artist teams with experience creating site-specific outdoor artwork. The memorial will be located in Mountain Shadows Park, a 6.5-acre neighborhood park featuring walking trails, picnic areas, a pavilion, and athletic field. A 60-foot diameter footprint has been designated for the memorial at the northwest edge of the park. The project budget is expected to be in the area of $30,000 - $40,000. The artwork will be permanent and designed to encourage people to gather and reflect on the events of 2012.

An Artist Selection Committee will review submissions and select 3-5 finalists to be interviewed. Special consideration will be given to artists from the Pikes Peak region. Finalists will receive a $300 stipend to develop a conceptual approach and will be expected to provide an artist's statement describing their proposal, materials, size, weight, installation requirements, maintenance guidelines, and budget. The proposal will be exhibited in a public location for a minimum of one week. The committee intends to have a finalist selected with installation completed in time for the second anniversary of the fire. Submissions should include 1-6 images.