Hiawatha Davis Recreation Center Public Art Opportunity!

Denver Arts and Venues seeks to commission an artist or artist team to create a permanent public artwork in Northeast Park Hill, Denver, Colorado. The project seeks artwork that reflects and celebrates Northeast Park Hill's unique character and the people, histories, cultures, and experiences that have shaped the neighborhood across generations.  Northeast Park Hill is a community with a rich history, representing a culturally diverse neighborhood with strong relationships, deep-rooted pride, creativity, and fortitude. The selected artwork should contribute to a meaningful sense of place and should come from an understanding of the community rather than impose an outside narrative on it.

Denver Public Art is hosting a virtual pre-application meeting for interested applicants on Monday, November 23, 2026 at 5:30 p.m. MT. Attendees will receive information on CallForEntry.org through which artists may apply. This event will be hosted on Zoom. Interested applicants are asked to registe...

Introduction

Denver Arts and Venues seeks to commission an artist or artist team to create a permanent public artwork in Northeast Park Hill, Denver, Colorado. The project seeks artwork that reflects and celebrates Northeast Park Hill's unique character and the people, histories, cultures, and experiences that have shaped the neighborhood across generations.  Northeast Park Hill is a community with a rich history, representing a culturally diverse neighborhood with strong relationships, deep-rooted pride, creativity, and fortitude. The selected artwork should contribute to a meaningful sense of place and should come from an understanding of the community rather than impose an outside narrative on it.

The project prioritizes community relevance, placemaking, cultural identity, legacy, preservation, and the reclamation and visibility of neighborhood history.

Artists are encouraged to consider how public art can tell a meaningful story of the people of Northeast Park Hill, acknowledging the past, reflecting on the current lived experiences, and thoughtfully considering what the future holds for the community without erasing or disconnecting from the neighborhood’s existing identity.

The selection panel is interested in artists who may be interested in committing to community engagement, demonstrating experience in listening to, collaborating with, and creating alongside the community.

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 Walkable Futures: Art in Motion (Sidewalks). 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 Northeast Park Hill

The Northeast Park Hill neighborhood is situated on the Northeast corner of Park Hill, intersecting the I-70 interstate. Its culturally rich neighborhood is rooted in legacy, where people who’ve established families and businesses build community institutions and a strong social activist presence. This neighborhood has contributed to the overarching cultural landscape of Denver as a whole. There have been significant social, economic, environmental, and physical changes that have occurred over time, though the community has represented and demonstrated a strong commitment to protecting the identity and future of the community.

This project recognizes the role that public art can play as an asset in preserving and communicating history, while retracting symbols of displacement due to redevelopment or gentrification.

Though there are significant efforts in preservation, the artwork should not reduce Northeast Park Hill to a historical artifact. The neighborhood is a living, thriving, evolving community. The selected artist will be encouraged to explore the historic lineage, while simultaneously acknowledging the contemporary experiences and aspirations of the future.

Goals and Visioning:

1. Reflect the unique cultural characteristics and identity of Northeast Park Hill while recognizing the neighborhood’s history and diversity.
2. Explore themes of preservation, reclamation, belonging, memory, and place.
3. Create opportunities for residents and visitors to interact with the artwork
4. Tell a meaningful story or message that resonates with the community.
5. Celebrate community legacy, fortitude, and pride.
6. Reflect both historical and contemporary community experiences.

Sites of interest:

The Public Art Selection Panel welcomes suggestions for potential locations for the proposed public art installation. Suggested locations will be considered by the Panel, subject to project requirements, site suitability, feasibility, and available budget. The final location will be determined through the selection process.

          Media and Materials:

The selection panel is open to all media, materials, and formats that are suitable for inside or outside 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 prior to the submission of a final proposal. Awarded contracts will be reviewed by the City 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.

Application Process:

Who may apply?

This project is open to artists residing in the United States. Denver Arts and 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, intersex, asexual, Two-Spirit+ (LGBTQIA2S+) Communities, and those who are intersectional. Denver Arts and Venues also encourages applicants at various stages in their careers and applicants who 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.

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  $53,000  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 Hiawatha Davis Jr. Recreation Center (Parks and Recreation Services) 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)

November 23,  2026 Artist Pre-Application Meeting

December 4, 2026, 11:59 P.M. MST Deadline for entry (via CaFÉ™ system) 

January/February 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.

To request this RFQ in an alternate format (such as Braille, large print, or accessible electronic format) please contact DisabilityAccess@denvergov.org.

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

1. Your connection to the Northeast Park Hill community.
2. Your approach to and experience with community engagement, particularly youth engagement. Artists should communicate how they would build relationships with residents, listen to different perspectives, and incorporate community feedback. How will you create age-appropriate opportunities for youth to participate meaningfully?
3. Your experience with artist collaborations and/or mentorship opportunities.
4. 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 Hiawatha Davis Jr. The Recreation Center selection panel is composed of 10 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 for 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.

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.

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

Please direct all questions about the project to:

Tanniqua-Kay Buchanan, Public Art Projects Manager,

Tanniqua-Kay.Buchanan@denvergov.org.

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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