Request for Qualifications: Trinidad State College, Valley Campus Building

Qualifications are requested from artists interested in creating an artwork or artworks for the interior and/or exterior of Trinidad State College’s Valley Campus Main Building in Alamosa, Colorado. Multiple artworks will be commissioned, by one or more artists, and the total funding available is up to $105,000.

Qualifications are requested from artists interested in creating an artwork or artworks for the interior and/or exterior of Trinidad State College’s Valley Campus Main Building in Alamosa, Colorado. Multiple artworks will be commissioned, by one or more artists, and the total funding available is up to $105,000. The deadline for submission is May 27, 2026. 

About Trinidad State College and Valley Campus Building

Established in 1925, Trinidad State College (Trinidad State) was the first community college in Colorado. With campuses in Trinidad and Alamosa, Colorado, Trinidad State provides an affordable and accessible education to students in southern Colorado and beyond. Trinidad State offers unique academic programs in fields such as Unmanned Aviation Systems, Cosmetology, Nursing and Welding and  a guaranteed transfer program through partnerships with four-year colleges and universities in Colorado. Trinidad State has been continually accredited by the Higher Learning Commission since 1962.

Trinidad State’s Valley Campus location offers a considerable selection of courses including Nursing, Cybersecurity, Welding, Auto Mechanics and the Law Enforcement Training Academy. The Valley Campus of Trinidad State, located in downtown Alamosa, is a commuter campus that features friendly staff and small class sizes all within the San Luis Valley surrounded by picturesque 14,000' mountains. The main building of the Valley Campus was previously an elementary school and has had multiple additions over the years. The goals of this renovation project include updating the floor plan to create more of a main entrance, updating the facilities, and adding additional space to accommodate the nursing program, which is currently in another building.

With the space, the goal is for the entrance to have a “wow” factor, as well as capture the thematic approach of the building’s design - Mystic San Luis Valley. A spiritual, intriguing land offering a sense of peace amid epic 100-mile views and sand dunes circled by soaring peaks, the valley is peppered with the legacy of American Indian, Hispanic and European settlers and explorers, steeped in history and ripe with folklore. Other goals for the renovation’s design include a building that feels welcoming and inclusive and to capture the essence of the phrase “Every Tomorrow” - to educate, inspire, and empower in ways that ripple beyond the single day, year, or generation. TSC Valley is committed to prepare its students not only for the immediate challenges of work and life, but for the evolving opportunities that shape the Valley’s future.

Budget

A budget of up to $105,000 will cover all costs associated with the commissioned public artwork(s), including, but not limited to, artist fee, insurance, materials, fabrication, transportation, installation, building or site modifications, including lighting and foundations, travel to and from the site, per diem expenses, project documentation, contingency to cover unexpected expenses, and any other costs related to the project. More specific budgets will be provided to the semifinalists so that they may address the specific location within their proposals.

Opportunities for Public Art

The committee is looking for artworks to address one or more of three potential locations at Valley Campus building. The committee is most interested in multiple artworks from multiple artists; a total budget of up to $105,000 will likely be split between multiple commissions, in amounts to be determined. There is also the potential for a single artist to create artwork in multiple locations to create connections between locations. 

Please see below for a description of each location:

• Location 1: Building main entrance. This exterior location is on the west side of the building and will be the entry most utilized by students, staff, and other building users. This location will be accessed from the parking lot. An artwork at this location at this renovated main entrance, will serve as a welcome to the space.
• Location 2: South side of building, courtyard area. This exterior location is on the south side of the building along Main Street. An artwork in this location will be largely experienced by community members driving by. This location is an opportunity to create an identifying artwork for Trinidad State’s Valley Campus and perhaps an opportunity to demonstrate to the local community the school’s goals of “Every Tomorrow” and/or an embrace of the local landscape.
• Location 3: Interior, stairwell. This interior location is a ceiling-hung opportunity that will be highly visible from the building’s main entrance. This artwork would be a good opportunity to provide a welcome to the space, as well as showcase the mystic San Luis Valley thematic approach. The wall in this stairwell area is approximately 15 feet wide and 2 stories tall.

Please refer to the site plans and renderings at the end of the full RFQ document for more information.

 The Selection Committee will consider the following:

• Artistic excellence
• Scale, material, form and content
• Safety of materials
• Appropriate relationship to the function of the site
• Resistance to general wear, vandalism, or theft
• Ease of maintenance, minimal and low-cost maintenance

Selection Process and Schedule

The Art Selection Committee will review all complete and eligible submitted applications. A short list of semifinalists will be invited to prepare and present a final proposal in person and be paid an honorarium of $1,000. Final selection(s) will be made from the semifinalists’ proposals. The schedule is as follows:

• May 27, 2026 11:59 pm MST – Deadline for receipt of submission via CaFÉ™ system
• June/July 2026  – Selection committee meets to select semifinalists; all applicants notified of application status.
• July or September 2026 – Artist presentations in person in Alamosa, Colorado to the Art Selection Committee
• August 2027 – Planned building completion.

Questions

If you require more information or clarification, please contact Ruth Wilson at 303-880-6671 or ruth.wilson@state.co.us.

Additional Information

About Trinidad State

About Valley Campus

All applications for this project are being accepted through the online platform, CaFÉ™ (www.callforentry.org). No hard copy or emailed submissions will be accepted. The applicant will be asked to submit digital images of art, a resume, and a brief statement of interest. There is no application fee to apply or to use the CaFÉ™ online application system. If you need assistance in using the CaFÉ™ system, please refer to this Help for Artists webpage. You can also reach out via this Contract CaFÉ™ Support form or email cafehelp@wearecreativewest.org.

You will be asked to submit the following materials via the CaFÉ™ system:

 Digital Images: In order to be considered for this project, the applicant must submit no less than six (6) and no more than eight (8) digital images of previously completed artworks. 

 Resume: Submit a current résumé that outlines professional accomplishments as an artist.

 Statement of Interest: A statement of interest of 250 words or less must be submitted. It should briefly outline the interest in the specific opportunity. Please also include any connections you have to Trinidad State College and/or the local community of Alamosa or surrounding area.

All applicants must be residents of Colorado or New Mexico. Exceptions will be made for artists living outside of these states if they are alumni of Trinidad State College (formerly Trinidad Junior College) or artists who are affiliated with a tribe with ties to the land that is currently Colorado or New Mexico. If you live outside of Colorado or New Mexico and fall under one of these exceptions, please contact Ruth Wilson (ruth.wilson@state.co.us) prior to applying to ensure awareness of your application. Artists from all identities, backgrounds, and abilities are welcome to apply. Alumni of Trinidad State College or artists from the local area are encouraged to apply.