Call Description

ABOUT US

Art on the Streets (AOTS) celebrates the power of art in public places, turning the streets of Downtown Colorado Springs into a yearlong outdoor gallery of sculptures, murals, and installations. More than 300 works have been exhibited Downtown since AOTS began in 1998 and the creative district is home to more than 50 permanent works, over 40 of which have been purchased through AOTS.

AOTS is managed as a program of the Downtown COS Creative District, a nonprofit, nongovernmental organization. The program is funded entirely by corporate and individual donors—no public funds are used. Annual exhibitions are heavily promoted through regional and national press outreach, a GPS-based smartphone tour of the exhibition, and a full-color exhibition brochure distributed throughout Downtown. Learn more about the program at downtowncs.com/aots.

APPLICATION FEE

The application fee is waived for the first application. Please use code AOTS2026 when completing your application. 

EXHIBITION SCHEDULE

• January 28, 2026: Submission deadline
• March 2026: Selection notification to artists
• May 18-29, 2026: Artwork installation
• June 4, 2026: Exhibition Opening Reception and presentation of Juror Awards
• June 5, 2026: Exhibition public launch with scavenger hunt
• May 2027: Exhibition ends; artwork reclaimed by artists

COMPENSATION

Honorarium: $2,000 per artist

In Kind: Complimentary lodging during installation of work (up to seven nights for muralists) and on evening of exhibition opening reception

Prizes: All selected artists are eligible for the following awards.

• $10,000 Juror Award
• $2,500 Juror Award: Second Place
• $1,000 Juror Award: Third Place
• $500 Jurors’ Honorable Mention
• $1,000 People’s Choice Award

Opportunity Grants: Additional funds are available for opportunity grants for artists who belong to demographics underrepresented in the public art realm including, but not exclusive to, women, nonbinary individuals, artists who are Black, Indigenous and/or people of color; and artists with disabilities.

A total amount of $2,000 is available; funds will be allocated to artists based on selection committee recommendation. Funds are intended to defray fabrication and transportation costs.

SITE CONSIDERATIONS

Art on the Streets is exhibited outdoors throughout the 40-square-block urban environment of Downtown Colorado Springs. Works should be suitable for placement in a setting that is accessible to the public 24/7 and subject to extreme sun, strong winds, freezing/moisture, and rapid fluctuations between hot and cold.

Application Requirements

APPLICATION CHECKLIST

• 1-3 Images
• Application fee (waived for first application; $15 for additional applications). 
  Use code AOTS2026 to waive fee for your first application.
• Artist’s Statement
• Narrative Description of Proposed Work
  Include title, physical description, medium, dimensions (H x W x D in inches), weight (in pounds), and price for permanent acquisition (in USD).
  • For interactive, temporary or multimedia work, address how the piece will remain accessible for the duration of the exhibit.
  • If work is being proposed for a specific site (see exhibition sites), please mention it here.
• Installation Plan.
  Include engineering specifications, all required equipment and supplies, unique considerations for medium of the work, and other significant factors affecting exhibition for an extended period of time. 
  IMPORTANT: Since installation logistics form part of the selection criteria (see ‘Selection Process’ under ‘Eligibility’), failure to provide adequate detail in this section may count against eligibility.
• Resume/CV
• Opportunity grant request (optional) If you are requesting opportunity grant funds, comment on your eligibility and how funds will be used.

Eligibility Criteria

ELIGIBILITY

Art on the Streets is open to artists worldwide. While sculpture tends to dominate the entry pool, other types of art suitable for outdoor display are encouraged, including murals as well as interactive and multimedia works. Art on the Streets also has the ability to work with artists on larger and/or site-specific installations.

Policy on Non-AI-Generated Submissions: To maintain the integrity and originality of the exhibition, artwork submissions wholly or partly generated by Generative AI technologies are not eligible for consideration. Submitted artworks must be original, and artists represent that they hold full rights to the work. Tools or software that do not autonomously generate or alter creative content but assist in the manual creation process (e.g., digital brushes, color correction tools) are permitted.

SELECTION PROCESS

10 artists will be selected by a three-member jury panel. The primary criterion for selection is artistic merit. Secondary criteria include installation logistics; maintenance and safety concerns including structural integrity, damageability, and theft; and inclusion of a diverse range of media and perspectives. All works will be evaluated for stability by a structural engineer contracted by the Downtown Creative District.

Jurors

• Troy Briggs
• Grow Love
• Jess Preble

Juror bios: https://downtowncs.com/arts-and-culture/aots/art-on-the-streets-28th-annual-exhibition-jurors/