GJ Community Recreation Center Child Watch Mural Call for Artists

The City of Grand Junction and the Grand Junction Commission on Arts and Culture are seeking an artist to create an original mural for the Child Watch area at the new Community Recreation Center. The mural should be lighthearted and 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 are seeking an artist to create an original mural for the Child Watch area at the new Community Recreation Center. The mural should be lighthearted and utilize the color palette in the site details of this call.

 
Composition
The mural design 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 interest will not be approved. The design 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.

The artwork(s) should: 

• Cultivate a creative and entertaining environment for children ages 14 and under.
• Utilize and complement the Design Threads and Color Palettes on pages 1-3 in the site details
• Complement the blue circular acoustic panels that hang from the ceiling, and the blue paint color SW 9140 Blustery Sky and the adjacent walls SW 7009 Pearly White, and SW 9019 Golden Plumeria
• Complement the river-designed floor, blue sky, and sun aesthetic
• Utilize materials that are long-lasting and resistant to vandalism or scratches
• Utilize a cleanable and protective coating to extend longevity
• Be an original creation by the artist

Specific dimensions of the walls can be found in the site details on page 8.

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

Eligibility
The project is open to all artists residing in Colorado, age 21 and over, regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, age, military status, sexual orientation, marital status, or physical or mental disability.  
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 $14,000 for the mural. If selected, the artists(s) are responsible for all costs involved in the design and creation/painting of the mural including the materials.
This includes, but is not limited to: paint, painting supplies, scaffolding, ladders, tools, protective coverings, and any equipment required to safely and effectively complete the mural. 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
• Month of July, 2026 – Painting
• August 1 – Hard deadline

The installation timeline is tentative, and adjustable based on construction and artists timeline.

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.
As the mural will be in a high traffic area, the City is interested in contracting with the selected artist after the mural is complete on an as-needed basis for mural touch ups.
 

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 explaining your design. 

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 residing in Colorado, age 21 and over, regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, age, military status, sexual orientation, marital status, or physical or mental disability.  

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.