May Bonfils Stanton Theatre at Loretto Heights Public Art Project

REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS

May Bonfils Stanton Theatre at Loretto Heights Public Art Project

Budget: Approximately $550,000.00

Eligibility: Open to artists or artist teams residing in the United States

DEADLINE: Monday, December 8, 2025, 11:59 P.M. MST

 Introduction

Denver Public Art seeks to commission an artist or artist team to create an original suspended artwork for the lobby of the May Bonfils Stanton Theatre at Loretto Heights in Denver, Colorado.

An eleven-member selection panel—comprising community representatives, arts and design professionals, and civic leaders—has been convened to identify art opportunities and to select and recommend an artist or artist team for this project.

The total budget for this commission is approximately USD $550,000, which may be awarded to a single artist/team or divided among multiple artworks, depending on the panel’s final recommendations.

REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS

May Bonfils Stanton Theatre at Loretto Heights Public Art Project

Budget: Approximately $550,000.00

Eligibility: Open to artists or artist teams residing in the United States

DEADLINE: Monday, December 8, 2025, 11:59 P.M. MST

 Introduction

Denver Public Art seeks to commission an artist or artist team to create an original suspended artwork for the lobby of the May Bonfils Stanton Theatre at Loretto Heights in Denver, Colorado.

An eleven-member selection panel—comprising community representatives, arts and design professionals, and civic leaders—has been convened to identify art opportunities and to select and recommend an artist or artist team for this project.

The total budget for this commission is approximately USD $550,000, which may be awarded to a single artist/team or divided among multiple artworks, depending on the panel’s final recommendations.

Denver Public Art will host a virtual pre-application meeting on Thursday, November 13, 5:30-6:30 p.m., for interested applicants. The meeting will cover the project background and goals, as well as the application process for this Request for Qualifications (RFQ). Attendees will also get information on CallForEntry.org, through which artists may apply. This event will be hosted on Zoom. Interested applicants are asked to register to get information on how to join prior to the event. If you are unable to attend, a recording will be available on the Denver Arts & Venues Vimeo channel.

https://vimeo.com/denverartsandvenues.

Eventbrite link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1909506388009?aff=oddtdtcreator

 Land Acknowledgement

We acknowledge that the land on which Denver’s Public Art Collection exists, where we stand, live, work, and learn, is the ancestral homeland of the Ute, Cheyenne, and Arapaho Peoples. We also recognize the 48 contemporary tribal nations historically connected to the lands now known as Colorado. This nation was founded on policies that excluded and erased Indigenous Peoples, and those impacts continue today. Through this acknowledgment, we affirm our commitment to confronting those legacies and to honoring the Indigenous communities who have shaped—and continue to enrich—our city. Let us remember that this land was theirs long before it became ours.

May Bonfils Stanton Theatre

Opened in 1963 on the Loretto Heights campus, the May Bonfils Stanton Theatre (MBST) is a historically significant, mid-century modern theatre originally designed by Denver architect G. Meredith Musick. At the time of its opening, the MBST was the second largest and most professionally equipped theatre in the area, becoming instrumental in establishing Loretto Heights as one of the nation's leading undergraduate theatre programs. Following the closure of Loretto Heights College in 1988, the theatre continued to operate under Teikyo Loretto Heights University and later Colorado Heights University until the campus closed in 2016. Recognizing its historic and cultural value, Denver voters approved bond funds in 2021 for the City to purchase, rehabilitate, and return the theatre to public use. The restored MBST in southwest Denver will continue a legacy and expand access to arts across Denver, providing a professional and beautiful performance space, cultivating opportunities for cultural engagement, especially in the neighborhood, and supporting local artists, organizations, and a new generation of creatives.

 Loretto Heights College

Established in 1888 by the Sisters of Loretto under Mother Pancratia Bonfils, Loretto Heights began as a hilltop boarding school for girls, opening its Edbrooke-designed Administration Building in 1891. Over the decades, it mirrored social change—serving as a World War I training ground, earning college accreditation in 1926, and broadening its curriculum to nursing, adult education, and international programs. The campus’s landmark architecture, from the Administration Building to later halls by Frank and Harry Edbrooke and G. Meredith Musick, made it a showcase of late-19th- and early-20th-century design and a symbol of women’s expanding role in higher education. Although the college closed in 1988, the site has continued in educational use. It is now the focus of a preservation-driven redevelopment that will retain its historic character while introducing new community amenities.

Neighborhood

Harvey Park South, nestled in southwest Denver, is anchored by the historic Loretto Heights campus, whose 1891 bell tower stands as a visual and cultural landmark. Developed in the 1950s to house veterans and growing families, the neighborhood features quiet, tree-lined streets and mid-century modern homes. Over the decades, Harvey Park South has undergone notable demographic shifts, particularly during the school integration era of the 1960s and 1970s, which brought both social tensions and cultural change.

Today, the neighborhood reflects the diversity of southwest Denver, with a majority Latino population alongside White, multiracial, Asian, and Black residents. As redevelopment and investment expand across the area, the community faces ongoing challenges related to affordability and displacement. Despite these pressures, Harvey Park South maintains a strong sense of identity rooted in civic involvement and neighborhood pride. Community life centers around local parks—Harvey Park and Loretto Heights Park—which provide gathering spaces for year-round events and celebrations. Local schools, such as Doull Elementary, John F. Kennedy High School, and DSST: College View Middle School and High School continue to serve as an important function of the neighborhood’s family-oriented character.

 Goals, Site, Media & Materials

Goals
The public artwork for the May Bonfils Stanton Theatre should be unique, inviting, and echo the cultural and architectural heritage of the Loretto Heights campus, while also addressing the needs and ambitions of the local community. The selection panel has outlined the following objectives:

• Honor the rich history of the Loretto Heights campus and the legacy of the May Bonfils Stanton Theatre as a hub for education, performance, and community engagement.
• Establish a visual link between the campus and the nearby Harvey Park South neighborhood, emphasizing the site’s role as a cultural landmark.
• Develop artworks that are bold and colorful, with a commanding presence both day and night, leveraging lighting creatively.
• Artwork should act as a welcoming symbol for all visitors, residents, and regional guests alike.
• Support cultural equity and accessibility, reflecting the racial and ethnic diversity of southwest Denver.
• Foster artistic methods that promote inclusion, connection, and a sense of belonging among the neighborhood’s multigenerational and multicultural populations.

Site Opportunity: Suspended Artwork – Interior Atrium

The selection panel has identified the interior atrium of the May Bonfils Stanton Theatre as the site for a suspended artwork. The artwork will be prominently displayed within the theatre’s main lobby and visible through the glass façade, creating a dynamic visual experience from both inside and outside the building. Integrated lighting will be an essential component of the artwork, enhancing its visibility and presence throughout the day and night.

The selected artist or artist team will collaborate closely with the project design team, including Perkins Eastman Architects, to ensure thoughtful integration with the building’s architecture, lighting systems, and structural requirements. Finalists will have the opportunity to review site conditions in detail and meet with the art selection panel, Denver Public Art staff, the theatre renovation team, and representatives from the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure (DOTI).

The total commission budget is approximately USD $500,000, to be awarded for this single suspended artwork.

Media and Materials:

Artworks may be created using various media, including sculptural forms, suspended installations, integrated lighting, and mixed media. Given the architectural and cultural significance of the May Bonfils Stanton Theater within the Loretto Heights campus, proposed artworks should be visually engaging and contextually appropriate. The selection panel is particularly interested in proposals that incorporate lighting to enhance nighttime visibility, strengthening the theatre’s presence for visitors and the broader community.

Maintenance and Durability: All proposed materials must be suitable for long-term public display and capable of enduring Denver’s variable climate and high-elevation conditions, whether installed indoors or outdoors. Because the commissioned artwork will become a permanent part of the Denver Public Art Collection, artists must prioritize durability, ease of maintenance, and conservation considerations in their designs. Selected materials should be highly durable, require minimal upkeep, and withstand environmental stresses and public interaction. Finalists are strongly encouraged to consult with professional conservators during proposal development.

Compliance: Selected artworks will undergo review by the City and County of Denver’s Public Art Committee to ensure adherence to city standards, including compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). All projects must conform to the allocated budget and established project timeline.

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 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 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 Arts & Venues Public Art Program staff can guide you in filling out this form.

 Based on the interview and proposal, an artist or artist team will be selected for this commission. The selected artist or artist team will work with Denver Public Art staff and the project team when finalizing their designs for installation.

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.