REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS

Colfax Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Public Art Project – DESIGN ONLY

Budget: $90,000.00 USD to design three stations

Eligibility: Artists or artist teams residing in the United States

DEADLINE: Monday, February 12, 2024, 11:59 P.M. MST

Introduction

The City of Denver’s Public Art Program seeks to commission five artists or five artist teams to design original artworks for 15 separate stations along the future Colfax Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) line in Denver. The 15 stations will be divided into three stations per artist or artist team. Selected artists will create designs for a total of three separate stations. The locations for artworks will include new BRT stations from Pennsylvania Street eastward to Uinta Street along Colfax Avenue (see Fig. 1). The selection panel has recommended an integrated project that utilizes the newly designed glass canopies of all future bus rapid transit stations (see Fig. 2 and Fig. 3). Selected artists or artist teams will be responsible for design only. The fabrication and installation of the glass will be covered by the project construction team. Successful artists or artist teams must demonstrate an ability to work collaboratively, be responsive, flexible, and work under a condensed timeline with a quick turnaround. The commission amount for designing three stations is $90,000.00 USD.

Denver Public Art will host a virtual pre-application meeting on Wednesday, February 7, 5:30-6:30 p.m. for interested applicants. The meeting will cover project background and goals and the application process for this Request for Qualifications (RFQ). 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 get information on how to join prior to the event. If you cannot attend, a recording will be available on the Denver Arts & Venues Vimeo channel.

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.

Colfax Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Project

In 2008, the City and County of Denver’s Strategic Transportation Plan identified the need to move people more efficiently within the city to improve traffic flow, and rider and pedestrian safety. Because demand for the Regional Transportation District’s (RTD) 15/15L bus service along Colfax Avenue is higher than all other RTD routes, the city selected the East Colfax corridor to explore new transit approaches.

A Streetcar Feasibility Study was conducted in 2010, followed by a more detailed 2012 analysis of current and future needs along the Colfax corridor. In 2018, following six years of outreach and community input, 75% of the public recommended center-running bus rapid transit (BRT) as the preferred design alternative. The design process and environmental review began in late 2020.

After years of studying East Colfax Avenue and gathering significant community input, the City and County of Denver will implement a center-running bus rapid transit (BRT) service from Broadway to Yosemite with a dedicated transit lane in each direction. The project includes new and enhanced transit stations, service amenities, improved pedestrian and bike connections, as well as placemaking opportunities. West of Civic Center Station to Denver Union Station, the BRT line will operate in the side-running transit lanes along 15th and 17th Streets. East of Yosemite to I-225, the BRT line will be side-running in mixed flow traffic with potential enhanced stations that will be coordinated with the City of Aurora.

Upon implementation, the project will:

• Reduce travel time by 15 to 30 minutes
• Provide more affordable and reliable access to more than 250,000 jobs and community services along the corridor
• Enhance comfort and safety
• Create exciting streetscape, placemaking and economic development opportunities

For more information about this important mobility project, please visit: East Colfax Avenue Bus Rapid Transit

Colfax Avenue and Surrounding Neighborhoods
History

Colfax Avenue first appeared on maps in 1868. It was named for Schuyler Colfax, a former United States House Speaker, who visited Colorado in 1865. Denver’s early development was concentrated in the city center and the area along Colfax east of Broadway was slow to develop. However, after the arrival of the railroads in the late 1800s, Denver’s population exploded and by 1890 had reached more than 100,000 people. Public transit came to Colfax in 1888 when the cable railway system extended the line to the vicinity of City Park. By 1899, street cars replaced cable cars as they ran faster and could carry more passengers; this encouraged development further from the city center. Early development along the corridor was mostly residential, but in the early 1900s commercial development began to appear. By 1951, all streetcar lines ceased operation and the Denver Tramway became an all bus and trolley coach operation. The electric trolley coaches stopped operating in 1955.

The 1920s saw a significant boom of commercial construction along the corridor, particularly after the adoption of Denver’s first zoning code in 1925, which designated the face blocks of Colfax Avenue from Broadway to Yosemite Street as business or commercial. Construction declined during the Great Depression, but the car culture that followed World War II led to more development of businesses along Colfax (particularly east, adjacent to the City of Aurora) and influenced the build of Colfax’s signature motels, neon signage and diners. The Lowry Air Force Base and Stapleton Airport spurred new residential building in the surrounding neighborhoods and commercial development along East Colfax. This area suffered in the 1990s, with the closing of the Air Force base and the airport’s relocation. 

Today

The section of Colfax Avenue included in this RFQ is home to an eclectic mix of locally owned businesses, including restaurants, pubs and bars, music venues, retail, grocery and medical businesses. The corridor is surrounded by several distinct neighborhoods including North Capitol Hill, Capitol Hill, City Park West, Cheesman Park, Congress Park, South City Park, South Park Hill, Hale, Montclair and East Colfax. East Colfax Avenue is a commercial corridor for the project’s entire length. In addition to several Denver and Aurora neighborhoods, East Colfax Avenue directly serves several major destinations including the Colorado State Capitol, Denver East High School, National Jewish Health, and the multiple hospitals and clinics at the Fitzsimmons medical campus in Aurora.

Artists interested in this opportunity are encouraged to review all related information and supplement it with their own research.

Disability Rights and the Gang of 19

On July 5 and 6, 1978, a group of disability rights activists dubbed the “Gang of 19” blocked the busy intersection of Broadway and Colfax Avenue adjacent to Civic Center Park to protest the lack of wheelchair accessibility on public buses. They chanted “We will ride!” until the City of Denver and Regional Transportation District (RTD) agreed to make the buses wheelchair accessible, making Denver one of the first cities in the country with accessible mass transit. Widely considered a major historic milestone in the disability rights movement nationwide, this protest set in motion major policies that were included in the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990. It also led to the formation of the nonprofit American Disabled for Accessible Public Transit (ADAPT; now known as American Disabled for Attendant Programs Today), an activist organization with more than 30 chapters nationwide. Currently, the only marker that acknowledges this historically significant protest is a modest plaque in Civic Center Park that fails to name all 19 participants of the protest.

Denver’s Queer Community

Denver’s LGBTQIA2S+ history is long and complex, and for many years was hidden. However, through the efforts of community members, local organizations and historians, many stories marking important people and places have been unearthed and celebrated. The LGBTQIA2S+ community has not been immune to discrimination and government oppression. In response, engaged and active residents created new organizations starting in the 1950s. By 1972, The Gay Coalition of Denver formed as a reaction to the Stonewall Uprising, a culmination of years of LGBTQIA2S+ activism that served as a catalyst for the LGBTQIA2S+ rights movement in the US and around the world. In 2023, through a partnership with The Center on Colfax, The Colfax Avenue Business Improvement District and Black Pride Colorado, Denver’s first Queer Cultural District, Lavender Hill, was created.

Goals, Site, Media & Materials

The selection panel members have set forth specific goals and parameters for this public art project with the hope of creating unique and inspiring pedestrian-scaled works of art for the diverse communities that will soon utilize the improved transit corridor along Colfax Avenue. The Colfax corridor boasts an illustrious history that deserves to be elevated and highlighted along the corridor. From its beginnings as the ancestral homelands of the Ute, Cheyenne and Arapaho People, to the neon lights of once thriving motels, to the Gang of 19, to Lavender Hill, to famous alumni of East High School, there are many stories to recognize and tell.

Goals:

The panel is looking for artworks that highlight and bolster the history and diversity along the corridor and demonstrate an understanding of the spirit of Colfax Avenue. Works should be designed to be enjoyed by a diverse group of people, including, but not limited to, people with disabilities, immigrants, commuters and pedestrians who congregate along Colfax Avenue for entertainment and shopping. The Colfax Bus Rapid Transit stations will be very visible, and artworks should highlight the history and uniqueness of the stations and the neighborhoods in which they reside. Artists should demonstrate a connection to the community and/or Colorado. The selection panel encourages local artists to apply for this opportunity. The selection panel also encourages artist collaborations with schools along or close to the corridor.

Site:

The panel has identified the overhead glass canopies of the future Bus Rapid Transit stations as the locations for artwork. Every station includes two platforms, one eastbound and one westbound, each with their own canopy. There are a total of 15 stations and 30 platforms with canopies. Renderings of the station platforms are provided at the end of this document (see Fig. 1 and Fig. 2). Finalists will have the opportunity to meet with the art selection panel as well as Department of Transportation and Infrastructure (DOTI) staff, Denver Public Art staff, and other members of the project team to receive more specific information about the site and project.

Media & Materials:

Selected designs will be printed on tempered glass panels with durable ceramic inks. The inks are heat-fused to the glass creating a long-lasting surface and UV protection. This work will be performed by a vendor chosen by the project team. Artists are not responsible for the printing step of the process but may be asked to collaborate with the vendor to achieve best results. Designs may be created using any two-dimensional medium, including drawing, painting, printmaking, photography, graphic design and typography. Selected artists will be asked to consider certain limitations of the printing process when finalizing designs. Final designs must be provided digitally in the format and resolution acceptable to the glass fabricator. We are not seeking three-dimensional artworks or other integrations with the stations at this time. Dichroic glass will not be considered for this project.

Maintenance & 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 stresses, as well as be subject to vandalism. Public art projects should be fabricated of highly durable, low-maintenance materials. Finalists are encouraged to consult with a professional conservator prior to the submission of a final proposal. Artist proposals 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.

Budget

The budget for this commission is approximately $90,000.00 USD which will be allocated to the artists/teams selected. These funds come from the City of Denver’s 1% Percent for Public Art Ordinance resulting from improvements made to the Colfax Avenue corridor. This contract amount is inclusive of all costs associated with producing site-specific designs for the project including, but not limited to: the artist’s design fee, other consultation fees such as structural engineering, 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 costs. For all work performed on city property, prevailing wage requirements will be applied.

Timeline

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

Monday, February, 12, 2024; 11:59 P.M. MST          Deadline for entry (via CaFÉ™ system)

February/March 2024                                                Artist Selection and Notification

March/April 2024                                                       Contracting

July 1, 2024                                                              Design Files Due

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 Colfax Bus Rapid Transit selection panel is comprised of 18 voting members and one additional non-voting advisor. 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. Five artists/artist teams will be selected to design artwork for three stations each. 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 Program staff, DOTI, and RTD staff.
2. The selection panel will review applications, potentially 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 mayor of Denver for final approval.

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

Application Requirements

Applying for these opportunities

In response to this RFQ, applicants will be asked to submit the following items via www.callforentry.org (CaFÉ™).

1. 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 finalists. If needed, the selection panel will schedule interviews with a short list of applicants to make final selections. 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 Arts & Venues Public Art Program staff can guide you in filling out this form.

Each selected artist or artist team will design the artwork for three separate bus rapid transit stations. The selected artists or artist teams will work with the Denver Public Art Program staff, the Department of Transportation & Infrastructure (DOTI), and the Regional Transportation District (RTD) when finalizing their designs for installation.

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 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 720-865-5575 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 brief statement (2,000-character maximum) outlining the following:

• Your interest in the Colfax Bus Rapid Transit Project
• Your relationship to or experience with transit along the Colfax corridor
• Your design approach and experience working on public art projects
• Please also include 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.

Eligibility Criteria

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 career and applicants practicing a variety of artistic disciplines. Applicants with lived experience and/or a relationship with transit along the Colfax corridor are strongly encouraged to apply. 

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.