Call Description

The Castle Rock Public Art Commission seeks to enrich the visitor experience in Downtown Castle Rock through the installation of large-scale banner artworks on the Encore parking garage. In honor of the Sesquisemiquincentennial (America 250 – Colorado 150), this project aims to celebrate our shared history, diverse stories, and community heritage while inspiring reflection and unity as we imagine the future together.

Artworks should consider Castle Rock’s unique contributions to Colorado’s development and identity, with themes that may include: the town’s ranching heritage; the significance of rhyolite and stone quarrying; the influence of the railroad in shaping local growth; broader reflections on community, place, and progress. Artists are encouraged to interpret these themes creatively, incorporating visual elements that honor both Castle Rock’s local story and Colorado’s statewide history.

The selected banners will form one cohesive installation. Artists should submit artwork or a design concept that can be featured collectively across all five banners, creating a unified visual experience. Art must be two-dimensional, including but not limited to painting, photography, illustration, and digital art. Selected artworks must be suitable for public display and capable of being scaled and printed on vinyl banners. Works should be visually engaging from both close and distant perspectives.

The America 250 – Colorado 150 logo may be incorporated into the final banner design/artwork. Any selected artist(s) will need to be available in November/December 2025 to collaborate on the banners’ final design. This may include the insertion of the America 250 - Colorado 150 logo  on some or one of the banners. Final discretion regarding the inclusion of a logo will rest with the PAC, based on how well the logo integrates with and enhances the selected design.

Art must be two-dimensional and suitable for translation into a digital image or series of images to be printed onto five vertical banners (each measuring 4 feet wide by 30 feet long).

Artists are invited to submit complete design proposals for all five banners by midnight on November 9, 2025. Selected designs will be produced and installed in early 2026, remaining on display through the end of the year.

A $1,000 stipend will be paid to the artist whose work is selected.

Application Requirements

Artists are invited to submit complete design proposals for all five banners by midnight on November 9, 2025. Selected designs will be produced and installed in early 2026, remaining on display through the end of the year.

Eligibility Criteria

A selection panel will review all submissions and determine which artwork/design will be featured. The Town reserves the right to reject any or all submissions.

Artworks will be evaluated based on:

• Artistic excellence and originality

• Technical quality and suitability for large-scale reproduction

• Alignment with the project’s themes and community values

Designs must not contain advertisements, branding, or sensitive content (e.g., drugs/alcohol, nudity, violence, or political messaging).

Artists whose design and/or work is selected will receive a stipend of $1,000, payable after the artwork is received digitally for banner production. No stipends will be paid to those submitting images as part of this call whose artworks are not selected. 

Selected artists will be required to sign an agreement with the Town of Castle Rock outlining the terms of use, including the Town’s right to reproduce the artwork for the purpose of the banner project and related promotional materials.

Selected artists must be available in mid-November 2025 to collaborate with the banner producer/installer and the Public Art Commission to finalize the digital image(s), including potential integration of the America 250 – Colorado 150 logo.

Preference will be given to artists residing in Castle Rock, followed by those in Douglas County, then national applicants.