WILLOW BEND PARK AND UNIVERSAL PLAYGROUND OVERVIEW
Willow Bend will be the first universally accessible playground in the City of Loveland and one of only a few such specialized facilities in the Colorado Front Range area. Willow Bend Neighborhood Park, Playground, and Natural Area will encompass roughly 125 acres of property located southeast of downtown Loveland. The northern portion of the property is focused on active play and transitions into a more passive, natural environment at its southern end including a variety of trails, fishing ponds, and wildlife areas. The natural area portion of the site also includes a new environmental education area with its own parking lot, restrooms, and an ADA fishing dock. A network of trails from surrounding communities comes through the Willow Bend area.

Project timeline: The park will open to the public in spring 2025. Public art elements will likely be added within 8 months of the time the commission is awarded.

PUBLIC ART CRITERIA

Because of the combination of a playground within a larger nature area, there is a desire for artwork with a nature-based, whimsical, fantasy-like theme and/or a kinetic piece. The selected artists for the site should have demonstrated experience designing and/or fabricating creative elements suitable for a park and playground environment. The commissioned public artwork must create a multisensory experience for park visitors and be accessible to individuals with a range of needs, which may include limited mobility, hearing impairment, cognition challenges, sight restrictions, etc.

There are several primary locations identified for art installations; however, finalists for this project will have the freedom to present designs for additional areas of their choice. 

Identified areas of interest:

The Plaza: Located in a central site near the playground. The plaza has built-in concrete seating and a large canopy shade structure. This area will serve as a gathering place.

Entry pathway to a shaded overlook

Park entrance: The entry to the neighborhood park

Entry points off the main parking lot  

Finalists for this project will be provided with photos and videos of the site. Voluntary site visits may be available with City staff.

Application Requirements

Application Process

Qualifications and professional samples of past public artworks are required to be considered for this project. From this RFQ, up to three finalists may be selected to present design concepts. Finalists will be paid an honorarium to develop and present their artwork design concepts.

 Please do not submit proposals to this RFQ, as those proposals will be removed from the jury process.

All applications must be submitted through the CAFÉ website at: www.callforentry.org and must include:

•    a preliminary statement of approach for the project, which communicates experience with projects of similar scope and scale

•    at least 10 images of fabricated and installed public artwork completed within the past five years that highlights your previous accomplishment(s) with installations of similar appropriate scale.  No more than 2 images per project are permitted. Do not submit images of past proposals that have not been executed. Minimum: 10; Maximum: 10 images

•    your professional resume specifically highlighting similar outdoor commissions and/or sculpture installations

•    3 professional references

Artwork Jury Overview

• AIPP staff will oversee operations and administer the decisions of the jury panel.
• Artwork Selection Panel: Members of the City of Loveland Visual Arts Commission, 2 members of the Parks Department, and up to 4 Loveland residents will serve as jurors for the project.
• Each finalist shall present drawings and any additional information the artist feels appropriate for the jury panel’s review.
• A detailed budget will be required of the finalists. The detailed budget must include all expenditures in connection with the execution of the project. (Before submitting a proposal, artists must ensure the project can be executed as presented.)
• Selected finalists may present artwork within their inventory, provided there is no other work in that edition installed within a 60-mile radius of the installation site.
• The selected artist/artist team will enter into a contract with the City of Loveland and are required to carry general liability insurance of $1 million and execute the design as presented. Stamped, engineered drawings are required before acceptance and installation.

The selected artist/artist team will work closely with Cultural Services and Parks staff throughout the project timeline to ensure project requirements are met.  The project completion date will be determined jointly by the artist and City staff,, with input from the Visual Arts Commission.

Selection Criteria for Selection

• Assigned Personnel: Do the person(s) working on the project have the necessary skills to execute the project? Has the artist/artist team completed on time and on budget for a project of similar scope? Are there sufficient people with the requisite skills assigned to the project?
• Scope of Proposal: Does the proposal show an understanding of the project objective, appropriate scale, and desired results?
• Materials: Are the materials safe and durable enough for the Colorado climate (including intense sun and winds of up to 120/mph)?
• Aesthetics: Does the artwork meet the aesthetic preferences as stated within the RFQ?
• Availability: Can the work be completed within an acceptable timeframe?

Eligibility Criteria

All sculptors that meet the application requirements may apply.