Wastewater Management Building Public Art Commission

The City of Denver's Public Art Program seeks to commission an artist or team of artists to create an original public artwork or series of artworks for the Wastewater Management Building located at 2000 W. 3rd Ave., Denver, CO 80223. The selection panel has identified the entry plaza of the building for potential art opportunities and will select one artist or artist team for an allocated total budget of approximately $55,000.00 USD.

The panel's goals include creating a space for employees to gather and take pride in; one that is inclusive, accessible and welcoming to all. The panel hopes to see artwork(s) that celebrate and complement the architectural style of the building, which features concrete materials reminiscent of 1930s public works projects with art-deco influences. Artists should consider the building's adjacency to the South Platte River and opportunities to tell the story of wastewater management and its processes, as well as the story of climate change and its impact on wastewater management. Artworks could be created using diverse media including paint, sculpture, and mosaic applications, but murals are not being sought. All applicants must consider long-term conservation and maintenance, as these permanent artworks will be accessioned into the Denver Public Art collection and fabricated of highly durable, low-maintenance materials.

This project is open to artists residing in the state of Colorado. Applicants may apply as a single artist or multi-person collaborative group. 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. Entry deadline: Tuesday, July 26, 2022, 11:59 pm MST.