Call Description

REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS

Public Art Project: 48th Avenue Center

Budget: Approximately $66,000.00 USD

Eligibility: Artists or Artist Teams residing in the United States

DEADLINE: Monday, March 16, 2025, 11:59 P.M. MST

Introduction

Denver Public Art seeks to commission an artist or artist team to create original public artwork(s) for the 48th Avenue Center in Denver, CO. A 9-member selection panel of community representatives, arts and design professionals, and civic leaders has been assembled to identify art opportunities and to select and recommend an artist or artist team for this project. The selection panel has identified a location for potential artworks and will select one artist or artist team for the allocated total budget of approximately USD $66,000.00.

Denver Public Art will host a virtual pre-application meeting on Wednesday, March 4, 5:30-6:30 p.m. for interested applicants. The meeting will cover project backgrounds and goals, selection process schedule, and the application process for this Request for Qualification (RFQ). Attendees will also get information on CallForEntry.org, through which artists may apply. This event will be hosted on Zoom. Interested applicants are asked to register to get information on how to join prior to the event. If you cannot attend, a recording will be available on the Denver Arts & Venues YouTube channel.

Land Acknowledgement

We acknowledge that the land Denver’s Public Art Collection occupies - - land where we stand, live, work and learn - - is the traditional territory of the Ute, Cheyenne, and Arapaho Peoples. We also recognize the 48 contemporary tribal nations that are historically tied to the lands that make up the state of Colorado. Our nation was founded upon and continues to enact exclusions and erasures of Indigenous Peoples. May this acknowledgement demonstrate a commitment to dismantling ongoing legacies of oppression and inequities, as we intentionally honor and celebrate the Indigenous communities in our city and express our gratitude for their ongoing and significant contributions. Let’s not forget that this land was theirs long before we made it ours.

About 48th Avenue Center Project

Denver Rescue Mission’s 48th Avenue Center is in Northeast Park Hill and operated throughout the year in partnership with the City and County of Denver. The center is a safe and comfortable space for men as they plan their next steps and move towards stability. The building operates 24/7, offers nightly beds, three meals a day served from the commercial kitchen, restrooms, and access to various support services like the medical clinic. This project is backed by RISE Denver, a voter-approved $38.6 million bond program that aims to build, rebuild or purchase facilities that serve youth, families and people experiencing homelessness.

About the Denver Rescue Mission

Denver Rescue Mission has been serving the most vulnerable members of the community for 132 years. Their history is rooted in a love of Christian faith and a commitment to share that love with others. At multiple locations throughout the community, the Denver Rescue Mission helps restore the lives of people experiencing homelessness and addiction through emergency services, rehabilitation, transitional programs, and community outreach. Their approach focuses on four key areas: Engage Mercifully, Work Holistically, Speak Truthfully, and Believe in Miracles. Services across Colorado are unique to each distinct community and rooted in humanity and kindness. In 2025 alone, the organization provided over 1.2 million meals, 454,080 nights of shelter, 60,000 hours of volunteer service, and pathways for 627 individuals to obtain stable housing.    

About Park Hill Neighborhood

In 1887, Baron Allois Guillaume Engine von Winckler designed the original Park Hill development on 32 acres of land he owned in northeast Denver. Following his death, subsequent developers shaped Park Hill into a residential neighborhood. From the 1920s through the 1950s, Park Hill’s planned development unfolded alongside Denver’s eastward expansion, influenced by new parkways, transit access, and proximity to City Park and Stapleton (now Central Park). This growth, however, occurred within a landscape structured by racial covenants and redlining that dictated who could live in the neighborhood and who could not. Despite these constraints, Black homeownership increased and Park Hill became a cornerstone of Black middle-class life in Denver. Residents have long led efforts in civil rights, education, and housing justice, with churches, families, and civic institutions anchoring a strong cultural and social identity.

The Park Hill neighborhood is segmented in three distinct areas: South Park Hill, North Park Hill, and Northeast Park Hill. The 48th Avenue Center is in Northeast Park Hill, the northern most part of the neighborhood that sits just north of Interstate 40 in an industrial area.

Goals, Site, Media & Materials

The selection panel members have set forth specific goals and parameters for this public art project with the hope of creating unique and peaceful works of art for the diverse communities that will interact with the 48th Avenue Shelter.

Goals:

• Artwork should be welcoming, comforting, colorful, and convey a sense of safety. The work should be empowering and inspire positive forward momentum.
• Artworks should engage and help share the stories of people experiencing homelessness and provide a sense of dignity to those seeking support. Collective storytelling and building confidence in participants are critical for a successful outcome. Artists chosen as finalists, may take advantage of the Denver Rescue Mission’s existing art class with residents.
• Artwork should also be culturally relevant. While residents will be the key audience, it is equally important that any artistic representation be sensitive to the neighborhood’s heritage and legacy.
• Artists are encouraged to consider trauma-informed design strategies that support mental health through color, pattern and subject matter. Trauma-informed design is the practice of combining trauma-informed care with the design process. Finalists will receive resources to support their proposal development.
• The panel is especially interested in inviting artists to apply who have lived experience with homelessness or have worked meaningfully with communities experiencing homelessness.
• The panel also welcomes artists who have a connection to the Park Hill neighborhood to apply.

Artwork Site

The panel has identified one site for public art on the façade of the building that welcomes residents. This site will require selected artists or artist teams to coordinate and communicate closely with city the Denver Rescue Mission operations staff. Selected finalists will have the opportunity for site visits and to meet with the art selection panel, Denver Public Art staff, and Denver Department of Transportation and Infrastructure (DOTI) members to ask specific questions about the preferred sites.

Media & Materials:

Artworks could be created using diverse media, including, but not limited to murals, relief work, or mosaic artworks. Durability and ease of maintenance are important at these locations. The selection panel is open to artwork in media and materials suitable for outdoor display.

Maintenance, Durability & Accessibility

This artwork will become a permanent addition to the Denver Public Art collection. All applicants must consider the issues of long-term conservation and maintenance of public art, along with time and budget. These projects are in the public realm and will be exposed to physical stresses as well as being subject to vandalism. Public art projects should be fabricated of highly durable, low-maintenance materials. Finalists are encouraged to consult with a professional conservator prior to the submission of a final proposal. Awarded contracts will be reviewed by the City of Denver's Public Art Committee to ensure conformity with city standards of maintenance and durability, as well as Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards. All finalists are expected to stay on budget and to complete work in an approved timeframe.

Budget

The budget for this commission is approximately USD $66,000.00 which will be allocated to the artist/team selected. These funds come from the City and County of Denver’s 1% Percent for Public Art Ordinance resulting from improvements made to the 48th Avenue Center project. This contract amount is inclusive of all costs associated with the project including, but not limited to: the artist’s design fee, other consultation fees such as structural engineering, insurance (including Colorado Workers Compensation), tools, materials, fabrication, transportation, installation, any building or site modification required, travel to and from the site, per diem expenses, project documentation, contingency to cover unexpected expenses, and any other costs. For all work performed on city property, prevailing wage requirements will be applied.

Timeline

Except for online application deadline, timeline is subject to adjustments. We will endeavor to communicate changes in advance.

Monday, March 16th, 2026; 11:59 P.M. MST         Deadline for entry (via CaFÉ™ system)

Friday, April 3rd, 2026                                            Finalists Selected and Notified

Friday, April 3rd, 2026                                            Rejected Artists Notified

*Friday, April 10th; 8:30 A.M. MST                         Selected Finalists Meet Community Members

*Friday, April 10th; 9:30 A.M. MST                         Selected Finalists Meet Design Team

*Friday, April 17th, 12:00 P.M. MST                        Site Visit for Finalists

*Thursday, April 23rd, 2026                                     Artist 1:1s

*Friday, April 24th, 2026                                          Finalist Presentations

May 2026                                                                Artist Selection and Notification

May/June 2026                                                       Contracting

*As of this writing, selected finalists must be available for these scheduled dates and times.

Project Selection Panel

According to Denver’s Public Art policy, the project selection panel plays an active role in the acquisition of public art for the City and County of Denver. The 48th Avenue Center art selection panel is comprised of 9 voting members and additional non-voting advisors. The selection panel is responsible for reviewing the site, establishing criteria for a request for qualifications, reviewing applications, selecting and interviewing finalists, and finally for selecting an artist or artist team for the commission. 

Selection Process

1. Three to five artists/artist teams will be selected as finalists. Those selected will receive more specific information regarding the sites and have the opportunity to meet with community members from the art selection panel, Denver Public Art Program staff, and the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure. The finalists will receive an honorarium to prepare a proposal and present it in person or virtually.
2. The selection panel will review the proposals, interview the finalists, and recommend an artist/artist team for the commission.
3. The final recommendation of the selection panel will be presented to the Public Art Committee, the Denver Commission on Cultural Affairs, and the mayor of Denver for final approval.

*All decisions of the City and County of Denver are final.

Please direct all questions about the project to:

Meg Pursell, Public Art Program Administrator, Meg.Pursell@denvergov.org, (720) 865-5576.

Application Requirements

Applying for these opportunities

In response to this RFQ, applicants will be asked to submit the following items via www.CallForEntry.org (CaFÉ™).

1. Six to eight digital images of past work
2. Résumé
3. Statement of interest (no longer than 2,000 characters)

From these applications, the selection panel will choose three to five finalists who will be invited to create site-specific proposals and be interviewed in person or virtually. Artists will be paid an honorarium for this work. Artists/teams selected as finalists will be required to submit a Diversity & Inclusiveness Form for their proposals to be considered, which will be provided upon notification. As directed by Executive Order 101, this form must be submitted for all city solicitations of proposals. Denver Public Art staff can guide you in filling out this form. The selected artist or artist team will work with Denver Public Art staff, and the Denver Department of Transportation and Infrastructure (DOTI) when finalizing their designs for installation

Materials to be Submitted

Please read this section carefully. Incomplete applications will NOT be considered. The applicant's name must appear on all materials submitted.

All materials must be submitted online, via the CaFÉ™ website (www.CallForEntry.org). There is no application fee to apply or to use the CaFÉ™ online application system.

Digital Images

To be considered for this project, the applicant must electronically submit six to eight digital images of previously completed artworks through the online CaFÉ™ system. Artists who wish to submit kinetic, sound or media works must submit a complete CaFÉ™ application and will have the opportunity to upload one video file.

IMPORTANT: If submitting audio or video files, do not use them as your very first image. They must be submitted last in your image sequence.

Instructions on how to format images to CaFÉ™ specifications can be found at https://www.callforentry.org/uploading-images-audio-and-video-files/. Assistance in using the CaFÉ™ system is available here: https://www.callforentry.org/artist-help-cafe/.

If an artist does not have access to a computer, s/he/they may call (720) 515-5768 to make arrangements to use a computer at Denver Arts & Venues. 

To request this RFQ in an alternate format (such as Braille, large print, or accessible electronic format) please contact DisabilityAccess@denvergov.org.

Statement of Interest

Please submit a statement (2,000 characters maximum) outlining the following:

• Your interest in the 48th Avenue Center project
• Your relationship to or experience with homelessness
• Your design approach to this project
• Please also include information on your experience working with diverse communities and stakeholders

Résumé 

Submit a one to two-page current résumé via CaFÉ™ that highlights your professional accomplishments as an artist. Please name your résumé file accordingly: Last name. First initial (i.e. Smith.J.pdf). Résumés that are more than two pages will not be downloaded. If applying as a team, please submit one résumé with no more than one page per team member. 

Survey

Applicants will also be required to fill out a short demographic survey that will be part of the CaFÉ™ application.

References

Applicants who are selected to be finalists will be required to provide three professional references.

Eligibility Criteria

Who May Apply

This project is open to artists residing in the United States. Denver Arts & Venues is committed to building a public art collection that represents a broad diversity of artists and encourages applicants from historically marginalized and underrepresented communities, including artists who identify as Black, Indigenous, Latino/x, People of Color (BILPOC), people with disabilities, and members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, intersexual, asexual, Two-Spirit+ (LGBTQIA2S+) communities. Denver Arts & Venues also encourages applicants at various stages in their careers and applicants that practice a variety of artistic disciplines.

Can a team apply?

Applicants may apply as a single artist or multi-person collaborative group. If applying as a team, please submit one résumé for the team with no more than one page per team member.

To request this RFQ in an alternate format (such as Braille, large print or accessible electronic format) please contact DisabilityAccess@denvergov.org.

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