Mary Trebing Sculpture

The City of Louisville, CO is seeking an artist or team of artists to design and install a sculpture that celebrates the life and accomplishments of Mary Trebing. In the context of Colorado’s 150th anniversary in 2026, this public art installation also aims to celebrate the diversity and rich cultural history of Louisville’s community.

The sculpture will be located outside in Louisville’s Memory Square Park near the Louisville Center for the Arts and Louisville Swimming Pool. Memory Square is a popular park for families and events, and we would like the sculpture to be in line with the purpose and character of the space.

The City of Louisville, CO is seeking an artist or team of artists to design and install a sculpture that celebrates the life and accomplishments of Mary Trebing. In the context of Colorado’s 150th anniversary in 2026, this public art installation also aims to celebrate the diversity and rich cultural history of Louisville’s community.

The sculpture will be located outside in Louisville’s Memory Square Park near the Louisville Center for the Arts and Louisville Swimming Pool. Memory Square is a popular park for families and events, and we would like the sculpture to be in line with the purpose and character of the space.

ARTWORK MEDIUM AND LOCATION

The artwork will be exposed to the weather and must be made of durable materials. The artwork will also be freestanding and will not be fenced off from the public. Since this is a high traffic park, the piece should be able to tolerate interaction from the public. Artists are welcome to lean into this circumstance by making the piece purposely kinetic and interactive.

This park is family oriented, thanks to the nearby pool and playground. The park is also of historic and artistic importance, thanks to the Center for the Arts which is currently an artistic hub for the community and which used to be an elementary school. The sculpture should be reflective of this atmosphere in addition to embodying the themes described below.

BACKGROUND AND ARTWORK THEME

The City of Louisville will be commemorating the upcoming Sesquisemiquincentennial in 2026 and would like to use the opportunity of this dual anniversary to celebrate Louisville’s rich and diverse history. Inspiration for this public art piece sprang from the desire to celebrate the remarkable stories and life paths that have made the Louisville community what it is today.

We chose Mary Trebing as the subject of this piece due to the bravery and strength of character she demonstrated in her lifetime and the poignant way her life intersected with Louisville’s notable public spaces.

Below, please see a brief biography of Mary Trebing (1920 – 1943):

Mary Elizabeth Trebing was born to William and Myrtle Mae DeWitt Trebing in Royalton, IL. Coal mining brought the family to Louisville before 1930 where Mary attended Louisville Public School at Memory Square Park from 1929 – 1934 and her family rented a house on Front Street. By 1940, Mary was attending Oklahoma A&M and working to support herself. On 21 Feb 1943, Mary entered Army Air Force Flight Training at Avenger Field, Sweetwater, TX. After graduating 7 Aug 1943, she was assigned to Love Field in Dallas as a WASP Ferry Pilot. This made Mary one of only 15 WASPS from Colorado to serve during WWII. On 7 Nov 1943, Mary’s plane crashed near Blanchard in rural McClain Co. OK. She is one of 38 WASP aviators who died in service. On 30 Sep 2010, she was posthumously awarded the Congressional Gold Medal.

The City of Louisville will separately commission a plaque with the above text. This plaque can either be incorporated into the design of the sculpture or installed separately.

The commissioned artwork should consider Mary’s unique story and accomplishments as a female Airforce pilot while also honoring the historical value of this space where she and many others attended school and local community events. Trebing’s story offers us an opportunity to reflect on the many varied personal histories, dreams, successes, and even tragedies that are woven into the fabric of Louisville’s history.

Artists interested in obtaining more information about Mary Trebing or Memory Square Park can reach out via email to Iris Belensky at IBelensky@LouisvilleCO.gov.

Proposals should include:

• Artist(s) resume/CV and relevant information for any other key team members
• 5-10 examples of artist’s previous work showing experience in sculpture design, fabrication, and installation (no more than 2 images per work; please include name of artwork, medium, and dimensions; please do not submit images of past proposals that did not get executed)
• Artist Statement of Interest
• Professional references who know your work and methods well (minimum of 2)

SELECTION PROCESS

An artist will be selected by representatives from the City of Louisville, the Louisville Cultural Advisory Board, and the Louisville Historical Museum.

Once the artist is selected, they will work with Louisville’s Public Arts & Events Program Manager to finalize a design for the sculpture. The design will go out for public comment and then final approval by City Council.

Submissions must be complete or will not be reviewed.

Proposals may also be submitted via e-mail to Iris Belensky, Arts & Events Program Manager, City of Louisville, at IBelensky@LouisvilleCO.gov no later than 11:59pm, Thursday, January 8, 2026.

Questions:  Any questions should be submitted via email to Iris Belensky at IBelensky@LouisvilleCO.gov.

Proposals are open to emerging and established artists living and working in Colorado.

QUALIFICATION REVIEW

• Application: Did the artist submit a complete application?
• Artistic excellence: Is the proposed design concept unique and appropriate to its location and purpose? Does the artist’s previous work demonstrate mastery of this artform?
• Goal: Does the proposed design concept align with the vision of the project?
• Capabilities: Does the artist have sufficient experience to carry out their proposal with excellence, within the timeframe? Does the artist have sufficient installation experience to ensure a durable final product?