Walkable Future: Art in Motion!

Denver Arts & Venues seeks an artist or artist team to create permanent public artwork for Inspiration Point Park in the Regis neighborhood and Martin Luther King Jr. Recreation Center in Central Park, Denver, Colorado. The project celebrates community values, histories, cultures, people, and intergenerational connections. One artist or team will be selected for a total budget of approximately $21,500.

A virtual pre-application meeting will take place Monday, November 23, 2026, at 5:30 p.m. MT via Zoom. The session will cover project goals, the RFQ application process, the Walkable Futures: Art in Motion opportunity. Interested applicants are asked to register to receive information on how to join prior to the event. If you cannot attend, a recording will be available on the Denver Arts & Venues YouTube channel. 

Introduction

Denver Arts and Venues seeks to commission an artist or artist team to create a permanent public artwork serving Inspiration Point Park in the Regis neighborhood and Martin Luther King Jr. Recreation Center in the Central Park community of Denver, Colorado. The project seeks artwork that reflects the community values, histories, cultures, people, and relationships that shape their experiences across generations. 

The selection panel of community members identified accessibility, durability, pedestrian safety, sense of place, and community relevance as key priorities for the project. Safe and accessible movement throughout the neighborhood is particularly important. The selected artwork should be thoughtful and integrate into the public realm, contributing positively to residents, visitors, families, and people moving through the area, encouraging each site as a destination!

Though Inspiration Point and Central Park are culturally different and spatially separated, they both are tethered to the High Injury Network. The High Injury Network (HIN) highlights streets within the city that need safety improvements and have disproportionately high rates of traffic crashes or serious bodily injuries. Their identities extend beyond individual sites and are shaped by relationships among residential areas, recreation facilities, businesses, streets, major transportation corridors, parks, and gathering spaces. The selected artwork should contribute to a meaningful sense of place while responding to the specific context and users of each site.

Denver Public Art is hosting a virtual pre-application meeting for interested applicants on Monday, November 23, 2026 at 5:30 p.m. MT. The meeting will cover project background and goals, and the application process for this Request for Qualifications (RFQ), as well as another RFQ for Hiawatha Davis Jr. Recreation Center. Attendees will also receive information on CallForEntry.org through which artists may apply. This event will be hosted on Zoom. Interested applicants are asked to register to receive information on how to join prior to the event. If you cannot attend, a recording will be available on the Denver Arts & Venues YouTube channel. 

About Inspiration Point Park

Inspiration Point Park is adjacent to Sheridan road, it is surrounded by I-70 to the South and I-76 to the north. Bordering the unincorporated Jefferson County, it is oftentimes left with the feeling of an isolated and forgotten space. It is also close to three significant places: Willis Case Golf Course, and two bodies of water located on the SW (Lake Rhoda) and SE (Berkeley Lake) quadrants. The neighborhood is also near the Lakeside Amusement Park. This segment of the neighborhood experiences high traffic volumes, speeding vehicles, noise, and challenges to pedestrian accessibility. While these are the challenges, Inspiration Point Park offers an opportunity to cultivate a gathering place for community members and visitors alike.

About Central Park

The Central Park neighborhood offers a different character. It is located south of the RTD rail line in Council District 8 and adjacent to a commercial corridor that has experienced several pedestrian injuries and deaths; therefore, the sidewalk infrastructure updates will support a safer pedestrian network. South of Smith Road, where these recent sidewalk improvements were constructed, is the Martin Luther King Jr. Recreation Center, which sees significant use for recreation, walking, gathering, and intergenerational connection. Artwork in this context may respond more directly to movement at a pedestrian scale, focusing on recreation, gathering, wellness, and intergenerational community life.

Project Details

Accessibility, durability, and safety were identified by the community panel as top priorities for this project. Pedestrian safety was identified as a recurring challenge, particularly in areas experiencing high vehicle traffic, noise, speeding, and significant movement throughout the neighborhood.

Artists should consider how artwork can enhance the experience of moving through and gathering within these spaces without creating barriers or compromising safety.

Goals and Visioning:

1.    Include a durable and sustainable approach to artmaking.

2. Accessible pedestrian-scaled work that encourages public exploration and sparks joy!

3.    Recognize the two distinct characteristics and users of each project site.

4.    Provide opportunities for residents and visitors to experience and interact with the artwork.

5. Emulate a sense of place/destination, recognizing local histories, everyday life, and community experiences.

Artists are encouraged to consider how public art can communicate meaningful stories about the people and places of Inspiration Point and Central Park while responding to the practical realities of each space using a transportation equity lens, meaning that all individuals have fair and equal opportunity to access art no matter the race, gender, ability or income.

The selection panel is interested in artists or artist teams who can spark imagination, address pedestrian safety, and create work that intentionally responds to people and the physical context of the site, especially because of its unique locations.

Artwork Site

The panel requests that multiple sites be activated across the park within proximity to concrete pathways. Finalists will have the opportunity to meet with the art selection panel as well as Denver Parks & Recreation staff, Denver Public Art staff, and other members of the project team to receive more specific information about the site.

Media and Materials:

Due to the smaller budget, the selection panel has identified art opportunities that would be successful and are excited about the possibility for the following public art options: miniatures, small sculptural works, mini mosaics, concrete engraving, sidewalk murals, and is open to all media, materials, and formats that are suitable for outdoor display.

Maintenance and Durability:

This artwork will become a permanent addition to the Denver Public Art collection. All applicants must consider the issues of long-term conservation and maintenance of public art, along with time and budget. These projects are in the public realm and will be exposed to physical stress as well as being subject to vandalism. Public art projects should be fabricated of highly durable, low-maintenance materials. Mural projects will require a UV and graffiti coating approved by the Denver Public Art program. Finalists are encouraged to consult with a professional conservator before the submission of a final proposal. Awarded contracts will be reviewed by the City and County of Denver's Public Art Committee to ensure conformity with city standards of maintenance and durability, as well as Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards. All finalists are expected to stay on budget and to complete work in an approved timeframe.

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 to eight 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 be invited to 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 Public Art staff can guide you in filling out this form. The selected artist or artist team will work with the Denver Public Art Program staff and Department of Transportation and Infrastructure staff when finalizing their designs for installation.

Budget:

The budget for this commission is $21,500 USD, which will be allocated to the selected artist/team. These funds come from the City of Denver’s 1 percent Public Art Ordinance resulting from the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure’s Sidewalks (Transportation and Mobility) project. This contract amount is inclusive of all costs associated with the art project including, but not limited to: the artist’s design fee, other consultation fees such as structural engineering consultation, insurance (including Colorado Workers' Compensation), tools, materials, fabrication, transportation, installation, any building or site modification required, travel to and from the site, per diem expenses, project documentation, contingency to cover unexpected expenses, and any other associated costs. For all work done on city property, prevailing wage requirements will be applied.

Timeline:

(Except for the online application deadline, the timeline is subject to adjustments)

December 3, 2026, 11:59 P.M. MST Deadline for entry (via CaFÉ™ system) 

November 23, 2026                Artist Pre-Application Meeting

December/January 2026       Finalist Selection 

January/February  2026         Artist Selection and Notification

End of 2027 All Public Art Installations complete

Submission Process

Materials to be submitted:

Please read this section carefully. Incomplete applications will NOT be considered. The applicant's name must appear on all materials submitted.

All materials must be submitted online, via the CaFÉ™ website (www.CallForEntry.org). There is no application fee to apply or to use the CaFÉ™ online application system.

Digital Images—To be considered for this project, the applicant must electronically submit six to eight digital images of previously completed artworks through the online CaFÉ™ system. Artists who wish to submit kinetic, sound, or media works must submit a complete CaFÉ™ application and will have the opportunity to upload one video file.

IMPORTANT: If submitting audio or video files, do not use them as your very first image. They must be submitted last in your image sequence.

Instructions on how to format images to CaFÉ™ specifications can be found at https://www.callforentry.org/uploading-images-audio-and-video-files/. Assistance in using the CaFÉ™ system is available here: https://www.callforentry.org/artist-help-cafe/ . If an artist does not have access to a computer, s/he/they may call (720) 515-5768 to make arrangements to use a computer at Denver Arts & Venues.

Statement of Interest—Please submit a statement (2,000 characters maximum) outlining the following:

• Your connection to the Inspiration Point and/or Central Park communities.

• Your approach to and experience with community engagement.

• Information on your experience working with diverse communities and stakeholders.

Résumé – Submit a one- to two-page current résumé via CaFÉ™ that highlights your professional accomplishments as an artist. Please name your résumé file accordingly: Last name. First initial (i.e., Smith.J.pdf). Résumés that are more than two pages will not be downloaded. If applying as a team, please submit one résumé with no more than one page per team member.

Survey – Applicants will also be required to fill out a short demographic survey that will be part of the CaFÉ™ application.

References – Applicants who are selected to be finalists will be required to provide three professional references.             

Equitable Selection Process

Land Acknowledgement:

We acknowledge that the land Denver's Public Art Collection occupies -- land where we stand, live, work, and learn-- is the traditional territory of the Ute, Cheyenne, and Arapaho Peoples. We also recognize the 48 contemporary tribal nations that are historically tied to the lands that make up the state of Colorado. Our nation was founded upon and continues to enact exclusions and erasures of Indigenous Peoples. May this acknowledgement demonstrate a commitment to dismantling ongoing legacies of oppression and inequities as we intentionally honor and celebrate the Indigenous communities in our city and express our gratitude for their ongoing and significant contributions. Let's not forget that this land was theirs long before we made it ours.

Project Selection Panel:

According to Denver's Public Art policy, the project selection panel plays an active role in the acquisition of public art for the City and County of Denver. The Sidewalks selection panel is comprised of 11 voting members. The selection panel is responsible for reviewing the site, establishing criteria for a request for qualifications, reviewing applications, selecting and interviewing finalists, and finally, selecting an artist or artist team for the commission.

Selection Process:

1. Three to five artists/artist teams will be selected as finalists for the commissions. Those selected will receive more specific information regarding the sites and have the opportunity to meet with community members from the selection panel, Denver Public Art staff, and Department of Transportation and Infrastructure staff.

2. The selection panel will review the proposals, interview the finalists, and recommend an artist/artist team for the commission.

3. The final recommendation of the selection panel will be presented to the Public Art Committee, the Denver Commission on Cultural Affairs, and the Executive Director for final approval.

*All decisions of the City and County of Denver are final.

Disability Inclusivity Process and Accessibility

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 based on 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.

Please direct all questions about the project to:

Tanniqua-Kay Buchanan, Public Art Projects Manager

Tanniqua-Kay.Buchanan@denvergov.org.Applying

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.

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