Call Description

CITY OF LOVELAND, COLORADO  -- PULLIAM COMMUNITY BUILDING -- THREE MURALS

The Loveland Visual Arts Commission desires one artist for three Art Deco-inspired murals for the historic Pulliam Community Building at 545 Cleveland Avenue in Loveland, Colorado. Art in Public Places has identified one external and two interior mural sites for this community gathering place. Up to three Artists will be considered to present design concepts. 

1)      Community Meeting Room: The largest mural site is located in this mid-sized gathering space on the lower level of the building. Total square footage: 107 sq. ft. 

2)      “Speakeasy Lounge” Elevator Surround: This area covers three sides of an elevator surround and is visually dominant. Total square footage: 183 sq. ft.

3)      Exterior ADA Accessible Elevator:  This elevator entry point is located in the alley on the south side of the building. The exterior door, which provides access to the lift, is surrounded by a metal structure. Total square footage: 144 sq. ft.

Total sq. ft. = 434 sq.. ft.

The Pulliam Community Building is in Loveland’s historic downtown at 545 Cleveland Avenue on the southbound section of Highway 287. This highway is heavily traveled throughout the year. Construction for this beloved landmark gathering place is entering the final stages of completion. The Pulliam Community Building is expected to open to the public by the end of 2025. (Please see the Statement of Significance below for more details.)

Statement of Significance

The Pulliam Community Building was constructed between 1937 and 1939 with labor provided by the Works Progress Administration (WPA), an unemployment relief program sponsored by the federal government during the Great Depression. The building is an outstanding local example of WPA Art Deco architecture, a unique, monumental, and austere style produced by New Deal construction projects nationwide. Incorporating stylized Art Deco elements, the building is also architecturally significant, featuring reinforced concrete walls that range from ten to fourteen inches thick. Its spacious interior contained a 556-seat auditorium, two offices, two meeting rooms, and a community meeting room. It is listed on the Loveland Landmark Register.

The current interior renovations embrace the Art Deco aesthetic of the building's original structure. Colors, textures, furnishings, materials, and overall design reflect this distinctive style. Any artistic additions, whether inside or outside the building, must align with Art Deco style to be considered. Secondly, the remodel also embraces the Works Progress Administration (WPA) aspect of the original construction.  Artistic elements can also focus on this aspect of the building’s history to be considered. A full color palette (attached) has already been selected as well as many finish materials. This information will be provided so that the selected artist(s) can dovetail seamlessly into the design and vision of the completed project.

Please note: The .pdf attachment provides images of each location. Please note that the building is still under construction.

Budget: $13,000: The project budget includes all design, materials, drawings, fabrication, equipment, insurance, installation, travel, contingency, and all incidental costs.

Application Requirements

Application Process:  All applications must be submitted through the CAFÉ website at www.callforentry.org. From this RFQ, finalists will be selected to present design concepts for this project. Incomplete applications will not be juried by the artwork selection committee. Artists should not submit proposals to this RFQ, as those proposals will be removed from the jury process.

Submission Requirements: Each application must be completed in its entirety to be considered and must include:

• A professional resume for the artist(s) applying to this project, specifically highlighting murals.
• Artists must submit a maximum of five images of past work completed within the past five years that highlight your previous accomplishments with installations of similar appropriate scale.
• A one-page preliminary statement of approach for the project, which communicates experience with projects of similar scope and scale and addresses the Artist’s interest in this project.
• 3 professional references, with complete contact information

Project Timeline: The mural installations are desired by February 2026.

FINALISTS SELECTION PROCESS

The primary criteria for selection:

• Aesthetics: Does the artwork meet the aesthetic preferences as stated within the RFQ?
• Assigned Personnel: Does the Artist have the necessary skills to execute the project? Are there sufficient people with the requisite skills assigned to the project?
• Has the Artist completed projects of a similar scope on time and within the budget?
• Scope of Proposal: Does the Artist demonstrate an understanding of the project objective, appropriate scale, and desired results?
• Materials: Are the materials safe and durable enough to be painted in a public area with heavy foot traffic?
• Availability: Can the installation be completed within an acceptable timeframe?

JURY OVERVIEW

• AIPP staff will oversee operations and administer the decisions of the jury panel.
• All finalists will enter into a design contract with the City. Shortly thereafter, finalists will be provided with additional images and video of the site and have a virtual meeting with City staff and project partners.
• An honorarium of $1,000 will be paid to each finalist who presents their design concept(s) at a regularly scheduled Visual Arts Commission meeting. The presentation date is likely to be in the fall of 2025.
• Each finalist shall present detailed drawings for their concept(s), and a detailed narrative of their concept. A detailed budget is required of the finalists when presenting their proposal. This budget must include all expenses in connection with the execution of the project. Before submitting a proposal, artists must ensure the project can be executed as presented.
• Artwork Selection Panel: Members of the City of Loveland Visual Arts Commission (9), Facilities staff (1), Pulliam Community Building stakeholders (4) and Loveland residents (2) will serve as jurors for the project.
• After the finalists’ presentations, one Artist will be awarded this project.

FINAL COMMISSIONED ARTIST

• The awarded Artist must enter into a contract and provide all required certificates of general liability and automobile insurance, at the requested limits, to the City of Loveland within 30 days of receipt of the City contract. The City of Loveland may withdraw the contract if these conditions are not met.
• All finished work shall be true to the approved drawings/design concept, and budget, as approved by the Loveland Visual Arts Commission.
• Because this artwork is considered site-specific, the awarded artist may not install a similar project or edition of this artwork within a 100-mile radius of the installation site.
• Project completion date will be determined jointly by the artist and city staff, with input from the Visual Arts Commission.
• The awarded Artist will work closely with Cultural Services and Public Works staff throughout the project timeline to ensure project requirements are met.

Eligibility Criteria

The project is open to any professional Artist with experience in creating original murals that encourage engagement within public spaces.