REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS
Denver Public Art Project
Denver Performing Arts Complex
Budget: $230,000 USD
DEADLINE: Wednesday, June 7, 2017 - 11:59p.m. MST

Introduction
The City of Denver Public Art Program and the Denver Performing Arts Complex (DPAC) Art Selection Panel have released a Request for Qualifications for artists who wish to work on a public art project for several of the façades within the DPAC campus. The panel is interested in permanent or semi-permanent light-based artworks that are interactive and create interest and impact at the site.

Denver Performing Arts Complex – The Next Stage Plan
The Denver Performing Arts Complex (DPAC) is the second largest performing arts center in the United States, generating $141M impact to the economy, and serving as the regional hub for traditional performing arts. The 12-acre site contains ten performance venues serving four resident organizations with approximately 9,500 seats connected by an 80 ft. tall iconic glass canopy. The Arts Complex is in the heart of Downtown Denver and its Theatre District. DPAC, owned by the city of Denver and managed by Denver

Arts & Venues (A&V), is home to four resident arts organizations: Denver Center for the Performing Arts (DCPA), Colorado Ballet, Opera Colorado, and Colorado Symphony Orchestra. The Next Stage plan envisions The Denver Performing Arts Complex as an enlivened, vibrant, thriving, public regional center of cultural activity in the heart of downtown. It will attract diverse audiences, celebrate a variety of art forms, contribute to the city’s economic vitality, enhance Denver’s urban fabric, integrate with neighboring amenities, including theColorado Convention Center, and serve as an innovative model for sustainable cultural and civic investment. More information can be found here: http://artsandvenuesdenver.com/venues/denver-performing-arts-complex/the-next-stage-unveiled/

The Site for the Artwork
The site for the artwork(s) is the soon-to-be-built plaza at the intersection of Champa Street and 13th Street. The existing elevator shaft and raised walkway will be removed in summer of 2017 and plaza seating and landscaping will be installed. This plaza will be adjacent to several art and cultural activities planned by the Denver Theatre District, the Colorado Convention Center and Denver Arts & Venues, and could become a hub for these kinds of activities. The main area for the artwork(s) will be on the building facades that surround the future plaza. The facades include one on the Commons on Champa Building, three on the Boettcher Concert Hall, one on the Buell Theatre and one on the Colorado Convention Center. These facades create an “outdoor living room”. The panel is most interested in light-based or projection artwork. The panel is also open to 2 and 3-dimensional art elements on the facades, utilizing a variety of materials. Whether the artwork is light-based, projection, or an alternative medium, creating a piece of artwork that is conceptually responsive to the site’s context and surrounding facilities’ celebration of art, culture, engagement and/or performance is desired.

Materials & Media
The selection panel members have set forth specific goals and parameters for this public art project with the hope of creating a unique and inspiring work of art for the diverse communities that visit and enjoy the DPAC and the Colorado Convention Center. The selection panel is open to permanent or semi-permanent artwork(s). The panel is looking for light-based artwork(s), projection-based artwork and/or 2 or 3-dimensional artwork(s) made from a variety of materials. Interactivity is also an important component. The panel is not interested in stand-alone sculptures at the site.

Maintenance & Durability
All applicants are expected to consider the issues of the maintenance of the public artwork, along with time and budget. The project should be fabricated of highly durable, low-maintenance materials. Artist proposals awarded contracts will be reviewed by the City of Denver’s Public Art Committee to ensure conformity with city standards of maintenance and durability. All finalists are expected to stay on budget and to complete work in an approved time frame.

Eligibility
This project is open nationally to all artists, regardless of race, color, creed, gender, gender variance, sexual orientation, national origin, age, religion, marital status, political opinion or affiliation, or mental or physical disability. Artists working in any media are eligible to apply. Artists with experience integrating artwork(s) onto existing building façades are encouraged to apply. Artists with experience in interactive light-based artworks are also encouraged to apply.

Applying for this Opportunity
In response to this RFQ, applicants will be asked to submit eight digital images, a résumé, and a statement of interest no longer than 2,000 characters via www.callforentry.org (CaFÉ™). From these applications, the selection panel will choose between three and five semifinalists who will be required to present their proposal to the Art Selection Panel. Colorado artists will be provided an honorarium of $1,500, and out-of-state artists will be provided $2,000 to prepare and present the proposal in person. Artists/teams selected as semi-finalists will be required to submit a Diversity & Inclusiveness Form in order 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 Arts & Venues Public Art Program staff can provide guidance on filling out this form. Semifinalists will be expected to pay for travel expenses from the honorarium. From the interview or proposal, an artist or artist team will be selected for this commission.  The selected artist or artist team for the commission will collaborate with the Public Art Program staff and DPAC staff when finalizing their designs for installation.

Please visit: www:artsandvenuesdenver.com/public-art/denver-public-art-collection for examples of recent commissions.

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 1-2 pages per team member.

Diversity and Inclusiveness
Denver Executive Order No. 101 establishes strategies between the City and private industry to use diversity and inclusiveness to promote economic development in the City and County of Denver and to encourage more businesses to compete for City contracts and procurements. The Executive Order requires, among other things, the collection of certain information regarding the practices of the City’s contractors and consultants toward diversity and inclusiveness and encourages/requires City agencies to include diversity and inclusiveness policies in selection criteria where legally permitted in solicitations for City services or goods. Diversity and Inclusiveness means inviting values, perspectives and contributions of people from diverse backgrounds, and integrates diversity into its hiring and retention policies, training opportunities, and business development methods to provide an equal opportunity for each person to participate, contribute, and succeed within the organization’s workplace. “Diversity” encompasses a wide variety of human differences, including differences such as race, age, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, ethnicity, physical disabilities, appearance, historically underutilized and disadvantaged persons, as well as social identities such as religion, marital status, socio-economic status, lifestyle, education, parental status, geographic background, language ability, and veteran status.

Budget
The budget for this commission is $230,000 USD which will be allocated to the artist/team selected. These funds come from the City of Denver’s One Percent for Art Ordinance resulting from several Bond-funded projects at the DPAC. 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 consultation, 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 done on city property, prevailing wage requirements will be applied.

Tentative Timeline
(Except for online application deadline, timeline is subject to adjustments)

Wednesday, June 7, 11:59 MST                  Deadline for entry (via CaFÉ™ system)
July                                                                   Semifinalist Selection
August                                                              Finalist Selection
September                                                       Finalist Notification

Project Selection Panel
According to the Denver Public Art Policy, the Art Selection Panel plays an active role in the acquisition of public art for Denver. The Denver Performing Arts Complex selection panel is comprised of 10 voting members and additional non-voting advisors. The selection panel is responsible for reviewing the site, establishing criteria, writing a call for entry, reviewing applications, and selecting and interviewing semi-finalists and finalists. 

Selection Process
Between three and five artists/artist teams will be selected as semifinalists, depending on the number of qualified responses to the RFQ. Semifinalists will be required to consult with DPAC staff and Denver Public Art staff prior to the submission of a final proposal. The selection panel will interview and review proposals from the semifinalists and recommend finalists for the commission. The final recommendation of the selection panel will be presented to the Public Art Committee, the Denver Commission on Cultural Affairs, and Mayor Michael B. Hancock for final approval. All decisions of the City and County of Denver are final.

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—In order to be considered for this project, the applicant must electronically submit eight digital images, 6 of which must be previously completed artworks, through the CaFÉ™ system.

Instructions on how to format images to CaFÉ™ specifications can be found at www.callforentry.org/imaging_tips.phtml. Assistance in using the CaFÉ™ system is available during regular business hours by calling 303-629-1166 or 888-562-7232, or via email at cafe@westaf.org. If an artist does not have access to a computer, s/he may call 720-865-5563 to make arrangements to use a computer at Denver Arts & Venues offices.

Statement of Interest—Please submit a statement briefly outlining your interest in the Denver Performing Arts Complex Public Art Project and experience working on projects of this kind (2,000 character maximum) via CaFÉ™. 

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 1-2 pages per team member.

Please direct all questions about the project to Brendan Picker at brendan.picker@denvergov.org or by calling 720-865-5563.

Application Requirements

Eligibility Criteria