REQUEST FOR ARTWORK
The City of Commerce City and the Commerce City Cultural Council are seeking to purchase artwork from Colorado artists, or artists who reside in Colorado Region (determined to be Colorado and neighboring states of Wyoming, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Utah and Arizona). Local and regional artists will be prioritized in the selection. The artwork is to be placed at the high traffic corner of 60th and Monaco at Pioneer Park in Commerce City, CO.

DEADLINE FOR SUBMITTAL: Thursday, April 17, 2025 11:59 p.m. MST

SUBMITTALS ACCEPTED ONLINE ONLY: www.callforentry.org

TOTAL ART BUDGET: up to $20,000

PROJECT SUMMARY
The City of Commerce City and the Commerce City Cultural Council seek to purchase artwork to pay tribute to the previous equine statue that stood in its place, which honored the late Cocklebur horse owned by the Conter family. The Conter family owned the land that Pioneer Park now sits on, which is now a major community gathering space. Cocklebur was the horse of Catherine Conter, who was reprimanded by the city for keeping the horse on her property in the 1970s. The horse became a symbol for defiance, and was eventually welcomed back to the farm property. Cocklebur and Catherine were intertwined and spent more than 18 years together. No one is still living from the Conter family line, but Commerce City still honors the family’s history and their long lasting impact on the area. Additional historical information can be found through the Commerce City Cultural and Historical Society at www.cchistoric.com. 

This image of the previous statue should be used for reference only. The artwork should differ from the original statue design, as previous renditions have been stolen from the site. Open to various mediums (stonework, metalwork, mural wraps, etc.)

PUBLIC ART BUDGET: up to $20,000
The budget for the site shall be inclusive of all costs associated with the public art project including, but not limited to artist fees, artwork, and installation. The artist is expected to work with the city to determine the specifications.

THEMES/CRITERIA
The art selection committee for Cocklebur Reimagined seeks artwork that honors the community’s historical horse. The artwork should celebrate the natural history of the area, Commerce City community and unity, evoke joy and delight, and have a pleasing and uplifting effect on those who see it. It should be appropriate for all ages to enjoy. The artwork should be difficult to remove from the site.

Additional historical information regarding Cocklebur the horse can be found through the Commerce City Cultural and Historical Society at www.cchistoric.com. 

SPACE DIMENSIONS

ABOUT COMMERCE CITY, COLORADO 

As the state’s third-fastest growing city, Commerce City is redefining itself for the next generation, building on historic values of community, industry, agriculture and family. Centrally located along Colorado’s bustling Front Range, Commerce City is a Quality Community for a Lifetime, with 25 miles of trails, a championship golf course, 840 acres of open space and parks, one of the country’s largest soccer complexes and the nation’s largest urban wildlife refuge. Learn more at www.c3gov.com.

ABOUT THE COMMERCE CITY PUBLIC ART PROGRAM
The goal of the Commerce City Public Art Program is to acquire public art unique to Commerce City that reflects community values, and to place it within public spaces for the community and visitors to enjoy. This public art will generate community pride and contribute to the vitality of the community by enhancing quality of life. Also, public art may remind us of our heritage, serve as a source of celebration, and prompt new ways of seeing and inspiring conversation and reflection. Completed in 2013, the Public Art Master Plan provides a framework to guide the Commerce City Cultural Council in selecting the most appropriate public artwork that reflects the community’s values and culture for designated locations throughout Commerce City. 

LEGAL COMMENTS

Commerce City and the Commerce City Cultural Council reserve the right to reject any or all applications, proposals, applicants, and projects, to waive any informalities or irregularities, and to modify or terminate the application process or the selection process for any reason and without prior notice. The issuance of this Request for Qualifications and the receipt and evaluation of applications do not obligate Commerce City to select any proposal or applicant or enter into any agreement.  The City will not pay any costs incurred in responding to this Request for Qualifications except as expressly stated.  

Applicants are cautioned not to undertake any activities or actions to promote or advertise their submittal, other than discussions with City staff as described.  Proposers are not permitted to make any direct or indirect contact with members of the Art Selection Committee, the Commerce City Cultural Council, the City Council, or media on the subject of this Request for Qualifications, except in the course of City-sponsored presentations or to submit questions.  Violation of these rules is grounds for disqualification.

QUESTIONS

Please send any questions to Melissa Sumner at msumner@c3gov.com.

Application Requirements

All applications for this project must be submitted through CaFÉ™ (www.callforentry.org) no later than the deadline for submission identified above. No hard copy or e-mail submissions will be accepted. There is no application fee to apply or to use the CaFÉ™ online application system. 
 

The applicant must submit the following: 

Digital Images. A maximum of five digital images of artwork through the CaFÉ™ system. Please include dimensions for each work of art. Although we welcome photos of past work, please be sure to submit renderings of the artwork you intend to build for the project, and not just previous artwork alone.

Instructions on how to use CaFÉ™ and format images/video can be found at www.callforentry.org/image_prep.phtml. Assistance in using the CaFÉ™ system is available during regular business hours by calling 303­629­1166, 1­888­562­7232 or e­mail cafe@westaf.org.

Artist Statement: Please share information about yourself, your interest in Commerce City, why you are submitting art for this project, anything you have to share about creating your artwork and how it meets the criteria listed. 

• Are you an artist who resides or works in Colorado, or the Colorado Region (neighboring states of Wyoming, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Utah and Arizona)?

Eligibility Criteria

The eligible applicants for this project are artists who reside in Colorado, or artists who reside in Colorado Region (determined to be Colorado and neighboring states of Wyoming, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Utah and Arizona). The City and Cultural Council will comply with all federal, state and local anti-discrimination laws in the administration and implementation of the public art master plan.