GJ Community Recreation Center Story Wall Call for Artists

The City of Grand Junction and the Grand Junction Commission on Arts and Culture (GJCAC) are seeking an artist to create original artwork for the Community Recreation Center (CRC). The artwork should tell the story and history of the CRC and should also utilize the color palette in the site details of this call.      

Background 

The City of Grand Junction is known as the gateway and regional center of Western Colorado because of its location between the Rocky Mountains and the desert. Grand Junction boasts a strong cultural community and is the home of Colorado Mesa University, Museums of Western Colorado, the Art Center of Western Colorado, the Western Colorado Botanical Gardens, the Grand Junction Symphony Orchestra, and Downtown Grand Junction’s nationally-known Art on the Corner exhibit with over 100 sculptures.  

The region is widely recognized for its many vineyards and orchards, its abundance of outdoor recreational opportunities, the majestic Grand Mesa, the desert vistas and rock formations of the Colorado National Monument and Colorado Canyons National Conservation Area, and the confluence of the Colorado and Gunnison Rivers.   

Through the City’s 1% for the Arts Public Art Program, the City continues to create aesthetic urban environments by facilitating the display and acquisition of high-quality works of art in public spaces.  

The City’s Cultural Strategic Plan calls to build the Grand Junction area as an arts destination for public art, enhancing Grand Junction’s cultural identity and sense of community pride. (Learn more about the area.) 

Learn more about the Community Recreation Center 

Project Description
The City of Grand Junction and the Grand Junction Commission on Arts and Culture (GJCAC) are seeking an artist to create original artwork for the Community Recreation Center (CRC). The artwork should tell the story and history of the CRC and should also utilize the color palette in the site details of this call. 
Grand Junction, the largest community on the Western Slope and the 18th largest in Colorado, stands as a sole city among the top 50 most populous in the state without a multi-purpose Community Recreation Center. Attempts to provide the necessary funding for this endeavor date back to 1979, with several grassroots efforts repeatedly falling short until a successful ballot initiative in April 2023. That proposal, emphasizing a diverse funding approach, earned resounding support. 60% of voters approved a modest sales tax increase and the necessary debt. When a community votes to tax itself to bring a project to fruition, it underscores a clear need.
40 years of grassroots advocacy have driven numerous planning efforts for a CRC. This includes several unsuccessful ballot proposals. Each attempt provided valuable lessons that contributed to the development of a stronger foundation.
The CRC is expected to serve the entire City and County population, totaling 156,830, as well as tourists and visitors, bolstering Grand Junction’s role as a hub for surrounding towns.

Composition
The artwork must be original and the context must be socially acceptable. The artwork’s appearance and visual relationships with the surrounding environment shall also be considered. Artwork which conflicts with local values or is determined to not be in the public’s interest will not be approved. The design of all parts of the artwork should be very durable, require minimal maintenance, and be resistant to theft and vandalism. The artwork should adhere to the highest standards of quality, timelessness, permanence, and general appeal, and should have relevance aesthetically to the community in the present and in future years.
Works in a variety of media and forms will be considered. Examples of media include, but are not limited to, metal, wood, plastics, and acrylic. Although the City and GJCAC do not endorse any restrictions on any particular artistic content, the project’s Artist Selection Panel will consider that hundreds of visitors and residents will see the artwork(s) on a daily basis when making decisions.  

The artwork(s) should: 

• Provide excitement and interest for visitors and residents of the community
• Utilize and complement the Design Threads and Color Palettes on pages 1-3 in the site details. Please pay close attention to the renderings on pages 4-5 as they are an accurate representation of the color spaces.
• Tell the story and history of the CRC encompass the historical aspects mentioned in this call under the Project Description.
• Include the following language (either incorporated into the artwork, or as a separate plaque):

A community dream 45 years in the making
In recognition of generations of Grand Junction residents who came together in support of creating this public space where all are welcome and everyone belongs.
Efforts to organize support for a public indoor community recreation center date back to 1978. The work of dedicated volunteers from all corners of our community spanned 5 decades and paid off in April 2023 with the successful passage of ballot item 1A, which authorized funding for the construction of the Grand Junction Community Recreation Center.
May this building stand as testament to the idea that when ordinary people work together, we can make extraordinary things happen.

• Be an original creation by the artist(s)
• Utilize materials that are long-lasting and resistant to vandalism or scratches.

Dimensions of the wall can be found in the site details on page 6. The Story Wall is roughly 12’w x 14’h. Exact measurements can be provided upon acceptance. Artwork must not protrude more than 4” from the wall. 

Location
The Community Recreation Center will be located at Matchett Park, 2836 Recreation Way.

Eligibility
The project is open to all artists, age 21 and over, regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, age, military status, sexual orientation, marital status, or physical or mental disability. Preference points may be given to local Colorado artists. 
Artists must be able to show images of original creations similar in size and theme to this project. Selection will be based on past artwork experience, style, concept, ability to comply with the timeline, and references.

Budget
The budget for this project cannot exceed $20,000. If selected, the artists(s) are responsible for all costs involved in the design and creation of the artwork. The budget includes all costs associated with the project including, but not limited to: artist’s design fee, travel, materials, fabrication costs, insurance, documentation, and transportation and installation of the work.
If professional installation is needed for the proposed piece, please call this out in your proposed budget.
Artists must also take appropriate measures to protect all flooring, fixtures, and adjacent non-painted areas during installation.

Deadline
Submission deadline is February 22, 2026 at 11:59 p.m.

Timeline

• February 22, 2026 – Deadline for applications
• February 23 – March 25, 2026 – Artist Selection Panel will review applications
• March 27, 2026 – Artists notified
• July 1 - August 1, 2026 – Artwork installation window at the Community Recreation Center. Artwork must be installed by August 1, 2026.

Selection Process
The selection panel will consist of representatives from the City of Grand Junction and the Grand Junction Commission on Arts & Culture.
The committee will review all artist submissions and make their selection from the initial submissions. From there, they will work with the artist to develop a final design.
 

Artists interested in this project must prepare and submit the following. Incomplete applications missing any of the following may be excluded from consideration: 

Letter of Interest - not to exceed one (1) page. A letter explaining interest in the project and including pertinent information about the artist’s/team’s approach and projects of a similar nature.  

Resume - not to exceed two (2) pages listing professional artistic accomplishments, contact information, education or other relevant information, and current contact information for at least two references.  

Proposal – Include a one (1) page description of how you would approach this project. Include materials, dimensions, anticipated weight, and a proposed budget. **Updated 1/12/2026

Proposed Concept Sketch(es) (These can be conceptual drawings and do not need to be final). 

Images of Original Representative Work - not to exceed five (5) images. All images must be in .JPG format and must meet the size requirements from CaFE. **updated 1/30/26  

Unless otherwise noted, all other files must be in .PDF format (e.g. name.letter.pdf, name.resume.pdf, name.proposal.pdf, name.imagelist.pdf, etc.). 

The project is open to all artists, age 21 and over, regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, age, military status, sexual orientation, marital status, or physical or mental disability. Preference points may be given to local Colorado artists.  

Artists must be able to show images of original creations similar in size and theme to this project. Selection will be based on past artwork experience, building experience, style, concept, ability to comply with the timeline, and references.