Call Description

1% for the Arts Program: The City wishes to create a visually pleasing environment and increase opportunities for residents and visitors to experience high quality works of art through acquisition and installation of public art in certain City construction projects.  

Project Description: The purpose of this call is to invite an artist to create a metal piece of art that encompasses historical markers of the land and neighborhood where the future fire house will sit. The components to incorporate may include the Interurban Electric Railway that used to carry passengers between Fruita and Grand Junction, Appleton Elementary across the street, apple orchards and the irrigation canals that make this area unique, and a modern fire engine as it is integral to the Grand Junction Fire Department. All components are not required rather this is a guiding document to what is desired for the finished product. However, it is important to the department to create artwork with meaning to the entire department, and community for this project. 

The Grand Junction Fire Department is seeking similar design and aesthetics as previous Fire Station projects, pictured in the site details. 

Location: Fire Station 7, set to be completed in Spring of 2025 and located at 2351 H Road in Appleton, faces north to H Road which is the main entrance. The art wall is where the artwork is to be installed, and the artwork will be lit from above at night.

Artwork Composition: The art must be made of metal and painted with “Classic Bronze” (see attached Laminators color chart in site details) to compliment the existing dark brown metal fascia on the building. The artwork may not exceed 2400 lbs. including anchors. This is based upon 200 lb. per anchor with anchors at least 4’ apart. If the artwork exceeds recommended weight, the artist will hire a licensed structural engineer to verify the strength of the existing wall and/or provide reinforcement. The existing wall construction is a shear wall of 2x6 studs and ½” plywood sheathing behind brick fascia. 

Detailed drawings available upon request. 

The design, installation, and materials used in all parts of the artwork should be very durable, powder coated, require minimal maintenance, not create a potential hazard, have structural and surface soundness, and be resistant to theft, vandalism, and weathering. The artwork must comply with all building codes and should adhere to the highest standards of quality, timelessness, permanence, compatibility with the building, and have broad general appeal.   

The artist will be responsible for designing, fabricating, and installing the artwork, working in close collaboration with the City project engineer. Artwork will need to be flush mounted to the brick façade for engineering purposes.  

The artwork will be a long-term acquisition that should have relevance aesthetically to the community and reflect enduring artistic quality.  Works of art should be compatible in style, scale, material, form, and content with the building. Artwork should not create inordinate safety issues or liability problems for the public or the City of Grand Junction. 

Deadline: Deadline for receipt of submissions is Friday, February 7, 2025, by 11:59 p.m. Incomplete or late entries will not be considered. Installation by Summer 2025.

Project Timeline and Selection: The selection committee comprised of representatives from the GJFD, City Engineering, and the Commission on Arts and Culture that will review the submissions and select the finalists before the end of February. Finalists may be interviewed online prior to final selection. Selection will be based on the quality, timelessness, permanence, compatibility with the site, relation to theme, and budget of the proposed artwork. A contract between the City and the selected artist shall be executed outlining the purchase price, responsibilities of the artist, responsibilities of the City, timeline, and deadline for installation of the work. 

Disclaimers: The City of Grand Junction and the Commission on Arts and Culture reserves the right to select or reject all artwork, and to determine implementation of the 1% for the Arts Program. Every effort will be made to ensure the safe handling of submitted materials; however, neither the City nor the Commission will be responsible for any loss or damage. Applicant materials will not be returned. 

Application Requirements

Artists interested in this project must prepare and submit the following. Incomplete applications missing any of the following may be excluded from consideration: 

Letter of Interest - not to exceed 1 page. A letter explaining interest in the project and including pertinent information about the artist’s/team’s approach and projects of a similar nature.  

Resume - not to exceed two pages listing professional artistic accomplishments, contact information, education or other relevant information, and current contact information for at least two references.  

Proposal - Include the following information: 

a. A one-page description of how you would approach this project including materials you might use, a statement as to whether you can meet the installation deadline, and if you are able to provide general liability insurance during fabrication and installation, and Worker’s Compensation insurance for any employees you might have. 

b. An additional page for the budget that includes design, fabrication, delivery, installation, site visits, Worker’s Compensation insurance, liability insurance, structural engineer if necessary, and all other associated expenses. The artist is responsible for all costs associated with submission of a proposal and, if selected, for transporting and installing the artwork on site.

Design Sketch(es)

Images of Original Representative Work - not to exceed 5 images. All images must be .JPG or JPEG files. Each image file name must be formatted as follows: number corresponding to the number on the image list (e.g., 01.title.jpg or 01.title.jpeg).

Unless otherwise noted, all files must be in .PDF format (e.g. name.letter.pdf, name.resume.pdf, name.proposal.pdf, name.imagelist.pdf, etc.).  

Eligibility Criteria

This project is open to all artists residing in Colorado. The artwork must be an original creation by the artist. Grand Junction’s Public Art Program is open to all artists regardless of race, color, religion, gender, age, sexual orientation, marital status, and physical or mental disability. 

Artists must be able to show images of original creations similar in size and theme to this project. Selection will be based on past artwork experience, style, concept, ability to comply with the timeline, and references. 

The sculpture must be an original creation by the artist(s).