Call Description

Qualifications are requested from artists interested in creating an artwork or artworks for the interior and/or exterior of Auraria Higher Education Center’s new Campus Safety Center. The total funding available is up to $225,000. The deadline for submission is May 29, 2026.

About Auraria Higher Education Center and the Campus Safety Center

The Auraria Campus is a dynamic and vibrant higher education community located in the heart of downtown Denver. The 150-acre campus is shared by three separate and distinct institutions of higher learning: Community College of Denver, Metropolitan State University of Denver, and University of Colorado Denver. 

Auraria Campus students, faculty and staff were invited to share insights to collaboratively reimagine what public safety looks like on campus. Results from this public engagement informed plans for the new Campus Safety Center, which has a goal to bolster the foundation of campus by increasing meaningful engagement between community and officers, improving access to vital resources, streamlining referrals, and fostering communication between public safety resources. The two-story, 32,000-square-foot Campus Safety Center will serve as the cornerstone of a modernized safety infrastructure and will include updated offices for the Auraria Campus Police Department (ACPD), new classrooms for use by all three campuses’ higher education institutions’ criminal justice programs, dedicated spaces for officer training and community programming, and a separate, secure 24/7 student-centered lounge, food options, study areas, and community learning space.

The Auraria Campus has a dedicated, full-service police department, operating 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. This new facility, located at 7th Street and Curtis Street, will strengthen emergency response capabilities, while also serving as a hub for education, student support, and meaningful community engagement. The main entry will be from a plaza area on the southeast corner of 7th. The 24/7 student lounge areas, located on both the first and second floors of the building, will be accessible with a student ID; the 2nd floor area has large windows with a view out to campus. The Campus Safety Center will provide a transparent, safe, welcoming space that can be accessed by the full campus community around the clock. 

Budget

A budget of up to $225,000 will cover all costs associated with the commissioned public artwork(s), including, but not limited to, artist fee, insurance, materials, fabrication, transportation, installation, building or site modifications, including lighting, travel to and from the site, per diem expenses, project documentation, contingency to cover unexpected expenses, and any other costs related to the project. More specific budgets will be provided to the semifinalists so that they may address the specific location within their proposals.

Opportunities for Public Art

The committee is looking for artwork to address one or more of potential locations on the interior and exterior of the Campus Safety Center. A total budget of up to $225,000 will go towards commissioning artwork(s). There is the potential for one artist to be chosen to address one location for the full budget, but also the potential for the budget to be split between multiple commissions for both locations, in amounts to be determined. There is also the potential for a single artist to create artwork in multiple locations to create a connection between the interior and exterior of the building. Artworks should feel welcoming, emphasizing the goals of the Campus Safety Center to be transparent and safe. Thematically, the artworks can also address the building’s goals to provide comfort and belonging to students and staff from all three institutions on campus, provide a calm and secure refuge within a busy urban context, and provide the opportunity for recruiting and retaining public safety staff.

Please see below for a description of each location:

• Building exterior walls. The exterior location are two possible wall-mounted opportunities on the exterior of the building on Curtis Street. These exterior locations are an opportunity for an artwork to provide a “wow factor” that draws students and campus users to the building. Both walls are an option but don’t both necessarily need to be addressed with an artwork.
• Interior ceiling. This interior location is a ceiling-hung opportunity that will be highly visible from the building’s exterior. The ceiling area targeted for artwork is a two-volume space in the 2nd floor student lounge area. This area has large windows that look out to campus and will remain lit all night long, as the area is accessible 24/7. This artwork has the opportunity to take advantage of these large windows and will be visible from the interior lounge area on the first and second floors, and from the exterior of the building. Artwork should reflect the goals of the building of providing a safe, welcoming, calm environment for study and respite on campus. 

Please refer to the site plans and renderings at the end of this RFQ document for more information.

The Selection Committee will consider the following:

• Artistic excellence 
• Scale, material, form and content
• Safety of materials
• Appropriate relationship to the function and thematic goals of the site
• Resistance to general wear, vandalism, or theft
• Ease of maintenance, minimal and low-cost maintenance

Selection Process and Schedule

The Art Selection Committee will review all complete and eligible submitted applications. A short list of semifinalists will be invited to prepare and present a final proposal in person and be paid an honorarium of $1,000 - $1,500. Final selection(s) will be made from the semifinalists’ proposals. The schedule is as follows:

• May 29, 2026 11:59 pm MST: Deadline for receipt of submission via CaFÉ™ system
• June/July 2026: Selection committee meets to select semifinalists; all applicants notified of application status.
• August/September 2026: Artist presentations in person in Denver, Colorado to the Art Selection Committee
• May 2027: Anticipated project completion.

Questions

If you require more information or clarification, please contact Ruth Wilson at 303-880-6671 or ruth.wilson@state.co.us.

Additional Information

About Auraria Campus

Historic Auraria

About the Campus Safety Center

Application Requirements

All applications for this project are being accepted through the online platform, CaFÉ™ (www.callforentry.org). No hard copy or emailed submissions will be accepted. The applicant will be asked to submit digital images of art, a resume, and a brief statement of interest. There is no application fee to apply or to use the CaFÉ™ online application system. If you need assistance in using the CaFÉ™ system, please refer to this Help for Artists webpage. You can also reach out via this Contract CaFÉ™ Support form or email cafehelp@wearecreativewest.org.

You will be asked to submit the following materials via the CaFÉ™ system:

• Digital Images: In order to be considered for this project, the applicant must submit no less than six (6) and no more than eight (8) digital images of previously completed artworks. 
• Resume: Submit a current résumé that outlines professional accomplishments as an artist.
• Statement of Interest: A statement of interest of 250 words or less must be submitted. It should briefly outline the interest in the specific opportunity. Please also include any connections you have to the institutions on Auraria Campus, i.e. if you are an alumni, current student, faculty member or staff.

Eligibility Criteria

All applicants must be residents of the United States. Artists from all identities, backgrounds, and abilities are welcome to apply. Alumni, current students or staff of one of the institutions on Auraria campus - Community College of Denver, Metropolitan State University of Denver, or University of Colorado Denver -  or artists from the local area are encouraged to apply.