Lions Park Nature Play Public Art Project

The City of Golden is seeking an artist or artist team to create an original, site-specific public artwork for the Lions Park Update Project. The selected artwork will be integrated into the park’s outdoor classroom and native garden area. The envisioned garden space is intended to cultivate exploration, quiet discovery, and connection with the natural environment.

The City is seeking artwork that becomes an intentional part of the landscape and visitor experience. The City is interested in proposals that blur the line between public art, landscape, and play, creating an experience that is discovered and explored rather than simply observed. The selected artist will have the opportunity to collaborate with the project design team, including landscape architects and park designers, to thoughtfully integrate the artwork into the surrounding environment, with consideration for seating, landscape features, and, where appropriate, elements of the garden design itself.

The City is interested in artwork that supports the project’s overarching nature play theme and encourages interaction, participation, curiosity, and learning. Artists are encouraged to explore opportunities to incorporate educational or interpretive elements related to local ecology, water, wildlife, native plants, water conservation, or environmental stewardship into the piece. Proposals that engage children and families through touch, movement, sensory exploration, or open-ended play and discovery are strongly encouraged.

In keeping with the project’s commitment to accessibility and inclusive design, artists should also consider how their work can create welcoming experiences for individuals with diverse abilities and sensory needs. The City encourages proposals that incorporate sensory-rich yet calming experiences, such as natural textures, tactile elements, quiet spaces for reflection, or opportunities for grounding and gentle engagement with the environment. Artists are invited to think broadly about accessibility and to create work that supports a range of ways people experience, explore, and connect with public spaces.

The City welcomes creative interpretations of these goals and encourages artists to propose innovative, integrated works that foster imagination, belonging, and meaningful connections between people, play, art, and nature.

Applicants must submit the following materials for consideration: 

1. A Project Proposal (maximum 2000 characters) describing their preliminary vision for the project, including how their proposed approach addresses the project goals of nature play, landscape integration, accessibility, learning, and environmental stewardship.
2. An up-to-date Curriculum Vitae (CV) or résumé highlighting relevant professional experience, public art commissions, exhibitions, and qualifications.
3. Three (3) images of completed artworks that best demonstrate the applicant's artistic practice and ability to successfully complete a project of similar scale or complexity.

This opportunity is open to professional artists and artist teams with experience in public art, landscape-integrated artwork, environmental art, play-based design, experiential installations, or related disciplines. Artists and/or teams must be based in Colorado or neighboring states (Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, Wyoming, Nebraska, Kansas, and Oklahoma). Emerging artists are encouraged to apply; however, applicants should demonstrate the ability to successfully complete projects of a similar scale and complexity.