Call Description

Background 

The City of Grand Junction is known as the gateway and regional center of Western Colorado because of its location between the Rocky Mountain and the desert. Grand Junction boasts a strong cultural community and is the home of Colorado Mesa University, Museums of Western Colorado, the Art Center of Western Colorado, the Western Colorado Botanical Gardens, the Grand Junction Symphony Orchestra, and Downtown Grand Junction’s nationally-known Art on the Corner exhibit with over 100 sculptures.  

The region is widely recognized for its many vineyards and orchards, its abundance of outdoor recreational opportunities, the majestic Grand Mesa, the desert vistas and rock formations of the Colorado National Monument and Colorado Canyons National Conservation Area, and the confluence of the Colorado and Gunnison Rivers.   

Through the City’s 1% for the Arts Public Art Program, the City continues to create aesthetic urban environments by facilitating the display and acquisition of high-quality works of art in public spaces.  

The City’s Cultural Strategic Plan calls to build the Grand Junction area as an arts destination for public art, enhancing Grand Junction’s cultural identity and sense of community pride. (To learn more about the area see www.visitgrandjunction.com.) 

The City of Grand Junction is a mecca of outdoor activities, including mountain and road cycling. The world-famous Lunch Loop Trail Area is only three miles from downtown, and in 2011 several local cyclists proposed the idea of constructing a paved trail to connect the two. In 2019 the dream became a reality with the opening of Phase 1 of the paved trail from the Riverfront Trail to Lunch Loops Trailhead. Building on the momentum of this project, Phase 2 was proposed to connect the Lunch Loop Trailhead to the existing paved trail along South Camp Road. Once built, this trail will complete a 10-mile loop of multi-use paved trail connecting the Riverfront Trail to the Redlands and the Tour of the Moon scenic bicycle byway loop. 

Project Description 

The City of Grand Junction and the Grand Junction Commission on Arts and Culture are pleased to announce an opportunity for an artist(s) to create a shade shelter to install along the paved trail. The shelter should be structurally sound and include artistic elements and details that can be appreciated by those riding the trail, similar to the shelter that was created and installed at the Lunch Loops Trailhead (pictured in the site details document).  

Composition 

The design, construction, and materials used in all parts of the shelter should be very durable, require minimal maintenance, be resistant to theft, vandalism, and weathering.  It should be free from unsafe conditions or factors that could impact public liability. The shelter should adhere to the highest standards of quality, timelessness, permanence, and general appeal, and should have relevance aesthetically to the community in the present and in future years. 

The artwork(s) should:  

• Provide excitement and interest for visitors and residents of the community  
• Complement the natural features of the area 
• Be an original creation by the artist(s)  

The shade shelter should be 18 ft wide by 14 feet deep by 10 ft high minimum. The dimensions for the foundations that will be poured ahead of the shelter installation are pictured in the site details document.  

Location 

The City of Grand Junction has identified a location for the shelter with a beautiful viewpoint of the Colorado National Monument (pictured below). Details of the location can be found in the site details document.  

Eligibility 

The project is open to all artists, age 21 and over, regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, age, military status, sexual orientation, marital status, or physical or mental disability. Preference points may be given to local Colorado artists.  

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, building experience, style, concept, ability to comply with the timeline, and references.  

Budget 

The budget for this project cannot exceed $14,000 which includes the design, creation, and installation of the shelter. The artist(s) is responsible for all costs associated with the proposal submission and, if selected, for all costs involved in the design, fabrication, transportation, insurance, delivery, and installation. 

Deadline 

Submission deadline is May 20, 2025 

Timeline 

• May 20, 2025 – Deadline for applications 
• May 21-30, 2025 – Artist Selection Panel will review applications 
• June 5, 2025 – Artists notified 
• August 29, 2025 – Shelter installed 

The installation timeline is tentative, and adjustable based on construction and artists timeline. 

Selection Process 

The selection panel will consist of representatives from the City of Grand Junction Engineering and Transportation Department, Parks and Recreation Department, and the Grand Junction Commission on Arts & Culture. 

The committee will review all artist submissions and make their selection from the initial submissions. 

Upon selection, the artist(s) will be responsible for acquiring engineering drawings and a building permit for the shelter. Due to the location where the shelter is to be installed, transportation of the shelter will be on a 10 ft wide trail and will need to be limited to a pickup truck and possible trailer, with a 5-ton vehicle limit.

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: 

1. 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, experience with acquiring building permits, 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.   
2. 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 10 images. All images must be .JPG or .JPEG files. Images must not be larger than 1024 x 768 pixels and no larger than 1mb. 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 other files must be in .PDF format (e.g. name.letter.pdf, name.resume.pdf, name.proposal.pdf, name.imagelist.pdf, etc.). 

Eligibility Criteria

The project is open to all artists, age 21 and over, regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, age, military status, sexual orientation, marital status, or physical or mental disability. Preference points may be given to local Colorado artists.  

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, building experience, style, concept, ability to comply with the timeline, and references.