Civic Campus Plaza Artwork

The City of Greeley invites qualifications from professional artists and artist teams to create a permanent, site-responsive public art gathering space for the new Downtown Civic Campus.

The selected artist or artist team will design and implement an original public-art environment within a defined Civic Campus Plaza footprint. The desired artwork creates vertical interest and unique spaces that may incorporate shade, seating, and/or lighting, creating a functional, welcoming, and visually distinctive place for residents, employees, visitors, and downtown patrons to rest, meet, and connect.

This is a qualifications-based selection. A selection panel will review and select up to three finalists to be paid to develop conceptual proposals for the site. Finalists will be invited to present their concept to the selection panel. An award is expected to be announced in March 2027.

The City of Greeley is advancing the Downtown Civic Campus, a significant redevelopment initiative that will establish a centralized civic and community destination in downtown Greeley. The project will relocate City Hall and bring together public facilities, workplaces, green space, community amenities, dining, small-business activity, and private development opportunities in a connected downtown setting.

Developed in collaboration with Weld County, Greeley-Evans School District 6, and private-sector partners, the Civic Campus is envisioned as an accessible, walkable, and welcoming hub for residents, employees, visitors, and downtown businesses. The project supports downtown revitalization, improves access to public services, creates flexible public gathering areas, and reflects Greeley’s history, identity, and continued growth.

Public art will be an integral component of the Civic Campus experience, helping establish a distinctive sense of place, encourage connection and dialogue, enhance the public realm, and contribute to a cohesive campus identity.

Artwork Opportunity

The Civic Campus Plaza Artwork will be located within a designated Public Art area identified on the project site plan (Appendix A and Appendix B). The selected artist may choose one footprint or both in which to develop an integrated, buildable public-art environment. Sample images provided are illustrative only.

• The commission should create a functional gathering space that incorporates:
• A visually compelling artistic identity;
• Vertical shade structure(s) or overhead lighting element(s);
• Integrated seating;
• A welcoming pedestrian-scale experience; and
• Durable features appropriate for frequent, year-round public use.

The artwork should serve both as a civic amenity and a recognizable landmark within the campus landscape. It should complement the Ribbon Walk, adjacent planting and landscape areas, pedestrian circulation, and surrounding public spaces. Planting may be adjusted, as appropriate, to accommodate the selected artwork.

Project Goals

The selected artist or artist team will be expected to:

• Create an inviting, accessible, and comfortable outdoor gathering space that supports everyday use, informal social connection, and place of respite for employees and guests.
• Integrate artistic expression with functional shade and seating amenities as one cohesive public-art environment.
• Develop a memorable civic landmark that strengthens sense of place and complements the Downtown Civic Campus.
• Respond to Greeley’s community identity through a contemporary artistic approach that may draw inspiration from the area’s people, histories, cultures, landscapes, civic life, agricultural heritage, natural environment, and future growth.
• Encourage curiosity, conversation, connection, and civic pride.
• Support clear pedestrian circulation, visibility, safety, and access through and around the artwork.
• Coordinate with the City and project team to ensure compatibility with site infrastructure, architecture, landscape systems, and construction requirements.
• Use durable, weather-resistant, and maintainable materials appropriate for Colorado’s climate and a high-use civic setting.

Applications and all required materials must be submitted through CaFÉ™ by the stated deadline of January 15, 2027; 11:59pm MST:

1.     Letter of Interest
A letter of no more than two pages describing the applicant’s interest in the opportunity; relevant experience; approach to collaboration; and ability to create a functional, durable, site-responsive public-art environment.

2.     Résumé or Curriculum Vitae
A current résumé or CV for each artist on the team. Include relevant public-art, design, fabrication, project-management, and collaborative experience.

3.     Work Samples
Up to 10 digital images of completed artwork or relevant prior projects. Applicants may include up to three video samples, if applicable.

4.     Annotated Image List
For each work sample, provide the title, date, medium/materials, dimensions, location, commissioning entity or client, budget or project cost, project team members, and a brief description of the artist’s role.

5.     Optional Team Information
Artist teams should identify the lead applicant, each team member’s role, and the proposed approach to team coordination.

Applicants should submit qualifications only. Preliminary concepts, sketches, renderings, or site-specific design proposals are not required and will not be evaluated during the initial RFQ review.

This RFQ is open to professional artists and artist teams with demonstrated experience in permanent public art, placemaking, functional outdoor environments, environmental design, fabrication, or interdisciplinary collaboration.

Applicants should demonstrate:

• Experience creating permanent, outdoor, site-specific public artwork;
• Ability to integrate art with shade, seating, gathering, and pedestrian-scale amenities;
• A strong visual language capable of creating a landmark while remaining welcoming and human-scaled;
• Experience collaborating with architects, landscape architects, engineers, fabricators, contractors, and public agencies;
• Understanding of durable materials and fabrication methods appropriate for a high-use civic setting;
• Capacity to engage community perspectives and translate them into an original artistic concept; and
• Ability to manage a project of similar scale, complexity, and budget.

City of Greeley employees and Civic Campus project consultants including their employees and subconsultants are not eligible to apply.