44th Ave & Broadway Public Art Project

Denver Public Art seeks to commission an artist or artist team to create an original mural, or series of murals, for the 44th Avenue Bridge project located approximately at 44th Avenue and Broadway, Denver, CO 80216. The goal of the project is to commission artwork that enhances the staircase and bridge and that is created with engagement from the community. In particular, the artwork should highlight the past, present and future of the neighborhood and area.

The commission amount for an artist or artist team is $45,000.00 USD.

REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS

Public Art Project: 44th Avenue & Broadway Public Art Project

Budget: Approximately $45,000.00 USD

Eligibility: Artists or Artist Teams residing in the United States

DEADLINE: Monday, June 2, 2025, 11:59 P.M. MST

Introduction

Denver Public Art seeks to commission an artist or artist team to create an original mural, or series of murals, for the 44th Avenue Bridge project located approximately at 44th Avenue and Broadway, Denver, CO 80216. The goal of the project is to commission artwork that enhances the staircase and bridge and that is created with engagement from the community. In particular, the artwork should highlight the past, present and future of the neighborhood and area.

The commission amount for an artist or artist team is $45,000.00 USD.

A selection panel of community representatives, arts and culture professionals and civic leaders has been assembled to identify art opportunities and to select and recommend an artist or artist team for this project. The panel is seeking artists who work in mediums suitable for outdoor walls and spaces (painting, photography, printmaking, multimedia, etc.) for this project.

Denver Public Art is hosting a virtual pre-application meeting for interested applicants on Wednesday, May 21, 2025, at 5:30 p.m. The meeting will cover project background and goals, and the application process for this Request for Qualifications (RFQ). Attendees will also receive information on CallForEntry.org through which artists may apply. This event will be hosted on Zoom. Interested applicants are asked to register to receive information on how to join prior to the event. If you cannot attend, a recording will be available on the Denver Arts & Venues Vimeo channel.

Land Acknowledgement

We acknowledge that the land Denver's Public Art Collection occupies -- land where we stand, live, work and learn -- is the traditional territory of the Ute, Cheyenne and Arapaho Peoples. We also recognize the 48 contemporary tribal nations that are historically tied to the lands that make up the state of Colorado. Our nation was founded upon and continues to enact exclusions and erasures of Indigenous Peoples. May this acknowledgement demonstrate a commitment to dismantling ongoing legacies of oppression and inequities as we intentionally honor and celebrate the Indigenous communities in our city and express our gratitude for their ongoing and significant contributions. Let's not forget that this land was theirs long before we made it ours.

About the Globeville Neighborhood

Globeville is located along the western bank of the South Platte River in North Central Denver.  In addition to the river, major physical landmarks in the neighborhood include I-25 and I-70.  Historically, the neighborhood was home to large industry, especially smelting and meat packing.  In Globeville’s early years, immigrants settled in the area and worked in the local industries.  As time passed and the economic structure of Denver evolved, the industries in the neighborhood changed.  Although the smelters are now gone and the meatpacking industry is much diminished, a strong industrial presence remains today, as does an established residential community.

Strong community ties and civic pride bolster the neighborhood, even in the face of environmental, economic, educational, and infrastructure issues that cause challenges for quality of life.  Many important changes are on the neighborhood’s immediate horizon or have already come to fruition, including new commuter rail transit, the I-70 East project in nearby Elyria and Swansea, and an expanding vision for the National Western Stock Show just across the river to the east.[1]

About the 44th Avenue & Broadway Project

The City and County of Denver is working to address essential missing links in its sidewalk network to help people get where they want to go more safely and easily. With the help of Elevate Denver Bond funding, a critical gap has been addressed in Globeville. A new pedestrian stairway and accessible ramp at 44th Avenue and Broadway now provides a safe connection to the 44th Avenue bridge that spans Interstate 25.

Goals, Site, Media & Materials

The selection panel has set forth specific goals and parameters for this mural project with the hope of creating unique, inspiring, and place-based works of art for the Globeville community. The panel encourages artists to apply that can demonstrate a connection to Globeville and/or the greater Globeville Elyria-Swansea neighborhood.

Goals

• The panel hopes to see artwork(s) that reflect the cultures and history of the area including Denver’s rich history of muralism.
• The panel strongly encourages artists to incorporate community engagement into the design and execution of the mural. The historic Garden Place Elementary School is located close to the project site, and the panel sees an opportunity to directly engage with the school and other community members on the project.
• The panel sees an opportunity for artist mentorship and encourages collaborations between established artists and new or emerging artists.
• Artists are encouraged to use biophilic design strategies that support overall wellbeing through color, pattern and subject matter. Biophilic design is the practice of connecting people and nature within our built environments and communities. Click here for a helpful resource guide on biophilic design principles.

Artwork Site:

The walls of the new staircase and ramp provide a large, blank canvas suited for a mural or series of murals. There is approximately 2,000 sq. ft. of exposed concrete wall that could be activated with art.  

Media & Materials:

The selection panel is open to two-dimensional artwork in all media, materials and formats that are suitable for outdoor display.

Maintenance & Durability & Accessibility

This artwork will become a permanent addition to the Denver Public Art collection. All applicants must consider the issues of long-term conservation and maintenance of public art, along with time and budget. These projects are in the public realm and will be exposed to physical stresses as well as being subject to vandalism. Public art projects should be fabricated of highly durable, low-maintenance materials. Mural projects will require a UV and graffiti coating approved by the Denver Public Art program. Finalists are encouraged to consult with a professional conservator prior to the submission of a final proposal. Awarded contracts will be reviewed by the City of Denver's Public Art Committee to ensure conformity with city standards of maintenance and durability, as well as Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards. All finalists are expected to stay on budget and to complete work in an approved timeframe.

Budget

The budget for this commission is $45,000.00 USD which will be allocated to the artist/team selected. These funds come from the City of Denver’s 1 percent for Public Art Ordinance resulting from the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure’s 44th & Broadway Pedestrian Improvements project. This contract amount is inclusive of all costs associated with the art project including, but not limited to: the artist’s design fee, other consultation fees such as structural engineering consultation, insurance (including Colorado Workers Compensation), tools, materials, fabrication, transportation, installation, any building or site modification required, travel to and from the site, per diem expenses, project documentation, contingency to cover unexpected expenses and any other associated costs. For all work done on city property, prevailing wage requirements will be applied.

Timeline

(Except for the online application deadline, the timeline is subject to adjustments)

• June 2, 2025, 11:59 P.M. MST                 Deadline for entry (via CaFÉ™ system)
• July/August 2025                                       Finalist Selection
• September/October 2025                         Artist Selection and Notification

Artists must be available to attend two meetings, a community meeting with representatives from the selection panel and a technical meeting with representatives from the Denver Public Art Program and the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure. These two meetings will take place in the summer of 2025. The finalist presentation meeting will take place in the late summer or early fall of 2025 and all artists must be available to present their concept proposals during this time.

Project Selection Panel

According to Denver's Public Art policy, the project selection panel plays an active role in the acquisition of public art for the City and County of Denver. The 44th Avenue & Broadway selection panel is comprised of 10 voting members. The selection panel is responsible for reviewing the site, establishing criteria for a request for qualifications, reviewing applications, selecting and interviewing finalists and finally for selecting an artist or artist team for the commission. 

Selection Process

1. Three to five artists/artist teams will be selected as finalists for the commissions. Those selected will receive more specific information regarding the sites and have the opportunity to meet with community members from the selection panel, Denver Public Art staff and Department of Transportation and Infrastructure staff.
2. The selection panel will review the proposals, interview the finalists and recommend an artist/artist team for the commission.
3. The final recommendation of the selection panel will be presented to the Public Art Committee, the Denver Commission on Cultural Affairs and the Executive Director for final approval.

*All decisions of the City and County of Denver are final.

Please direct all questions about the project to:

Megan Deffner, Public Art Program Administrator, Megan.Deffner@denvergov.org, (720) 365-9326.

Applying for these opportunities

In response to this RFQ, applicants will be asked to submit the following items via www.CallForEntry.org (CaFÉ™).

1. Six to eight digital images of past work
2. Résumé
3. Statement of interest (no longer than 2,000 characters)

From these applications, the selection panel will choose three to five finalists who will be invited to create site-specific proposals and be interviewed in person or virtually. Artists will be paid an honorarium for this work. Artists/teams selected as finalists will be required to submit a Diversity & Inclusiveness Form for their proposals to be considered, which will be provided upon notification. As directed by Executive Order 101, this form must be submitted for all city solicitations of proposals. Denver Public Art staff can guide you in filling out this form. The selected artist or artist team will work with the Denver Public Art Program staff and Department of Transportation and Infrastructure staff when finalizing their designs for installation.

Materials to be Submitted

Please read this section carefully. Incomplete applications will NOT be considered. The applicant's name must appear on all materials submitted.

All materials must be submitted online, via the CaFÉ™ website (www.CallForEntry.org). There is no application fee to apply or to use the CaFÉ™ online application system.

Digital Images

To be considered for this project, the applicant must electronically submit six to eight digital images of previously completed artworks through the online CaFÉ™ system. Artists who wish to submit kinetic, sound or media works must submit a complete CaFÉ™ application and will have the opportunity to upload one video file.

IMPORTANT: If submitting audio or video files, do not use them as your very first image. They must be submitted last in your image sequence.

Instructions on how to format images to CaFÉ™ specifications can be found at https://www.callforentry.org/uploading-images-audio-and-video-files/. Assistance in using the CaFÉ™ system is available here: https://www.callforentry.org/artist-help-cafe/.

If an artist does not have access to a computer, s/he/they may call (720) 515-5768 to make arrangements to use a computer at Denver Arts & Venues.

To request this RFQ in an alternate format (such as Braille, large print, or accessible electronic format) please contact DisabilityAccess@denvergov.org.

Statement of Interest

Please submit a statement (2,000 characters maximum) outlining the following:

• Your connection to the Globeville Elyria-Swansea community.
• Your approach to and experience with community engagement, particularly youth engagement.
• Your experience with artist collaborations and/or mentorship opportunities.
• Information on your experience working with diverse communities and stakeholders.

Résumé

Submit a one to two-page current résumé via CaFÉ™ that highlights your professional accomplishments as an artist. Please name your résumé file accordingly: Last name. First initial (i.e. Smith.J.pdf). Résumés that are more than two pages will not be downloaded. If applying as a team, please submit one résumé with no more than one page per team member.

Survey

Applicants will also be required to fill out a short demographic survey that will be part of the CaFÉ™ application.

References 

Applicants who are selected to be finalists will be required to provide three professional references.

Who May Apply

This project is open to artists residing in the United States. Denver Arts & Venues is committed to building a public art collection that represents a broad diversity of artists and encourages applicants from historically marginalized and underrepresented communities, including artists who identify as Black, Indigenous, Latino/x, People of Color (BILPOC), people with disabilities, and members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, intersexual, asexual, Two-Spirit+ (LGBTQIA2S+) communities. Denver Arts & Venues also encourages applicants at various stages in their careers and applicants that practice a variety of artistic disciplines.

Can a team apply?

Applicants may apply as a single artist or multi-person collaborative group. If applying as a team, please submit one résumé for the team with no more than one page per team member.

To request this RFQ in an alternate format (such as Braille, large print or accessible electronic format) please contact DisabilityAccess@denvergov.org.

Denver Arts & Venues complies with applicable Federal civil rights laws and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, gender or language. It is your right to request oral or written language assistance services in your primary language, sign language interpretation, real-time captioning via CART or disability-related accommodations if needed. Please contact Denver Arts & Venues at DAVLanguageAccess@denvergov.org and these services will be provided to you free of charge.

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