Call Description

Project location: Artspace Colorado Springs, 315 E Costilla St

Artspace Colorado Springs grew out of a grassroots effort led by the Colorado Springs Downtown Development Authority (DDA) to create a permanent home for the city’s creative community. Located in the Downtown COS Creative District, the project is designed to support artists and creative workers while strengthening the cultural vitality of the district as a whole. The five-story development is home to 51 units of affordable live/work housing and approximately 1,775 sq ft of commercial space, as well flexible outdoor spaces designed to accommodate creative uses.

The most important part of any urban place isn’t its buildings—it’s the people. Creative workers are crucial to Downtown’s character through their culture, community connections, work, and creativity. Their ideas and interactions drive economic growth, community development, cultural vibrancy, and social equity. Without them, Downtown is simply a collection of structures. Artspace facilitates these critical creative relationships, fostering community and innovation. Mural proposals should evoke this ethos.

Detailed site history and drawings available here: https://downtowncs.com/call-for-entries-artspace/

Questions: In advance of the deadline, please contact michelle@downtowncs.com with questions about the project. Our team is happy to schedule a call to discuss project details, but we ask that meetings be scheduled before February 18.

Project Timeline

• February 25, 2026: RFQ deadline
• March 11, 2026: Finalist notification
• March 25, 2026: Finalist deadline to submit design concept(s)
• April 1, 2026: Artist selection notification
• May 2026: Installation, to be completed by May 29, 2026

Compensation

• Site A, 25´–0˝ x 64´–0˝ (South facing exterior wall): $40,000–48,000
• Site B, 25´–0˝ x 30´–0˝ and 24´–6˝ x 22´–6˝ (West facing exterior wall): $31,500–38,000

Final project budget will be based on selected design parameters.

Up to five (5) finalists selected through this Request for Qualifications (RFQ) will each be paid $400 to develop up to three (3) design concepts in response to the below design guidelines, which will be evaluated by the selection committee (see ‘Selection Process’ below).

After design review, two artists will be contracted and paid according to range listed above to execute their design as a mural. This payment is intended to compensate artist for all expenses associated with execution of the mural, including materials, equipment, and labor. Murals must be installed using paint.

Selection Process

Successful submissions will demonstrate expertise in permanent, outdoor installations. Work samples will be evaluated for their placemaking impact, overall artistic merit, alignment with project goals, and representation of diverse viewpoints. 

Final selection of proposals will be made by members of the Art on the Streets 2026 jury, Creative District staff, and a representative from Artspace.

Application Requirements

Checklist

• Artist contact information
• Artist website/portfolio link
• Statement of interest
• Artist resume
• Work samples
• Proposed budget
• Professional references

Eligibility Criteria

To be considered, artists must:

• Be a regional artist (local to Colorado preferred)
• Have experience designing and installing at least one public-facing mural
• Demonstrate a strong artistic portfolio with relevant experience
• Certify that submissions are their original creative work. Artwork submissions wholly or partly
  generated by Generative AI technologies are not eligible for consideration. Tools or software that do not autonomously generate creative content but assist in the manual creation process (e.g., digital brushes, color correction tools) are permitted