As administrator of the City of Thornton’s Public Art Program, the Thornton Arts, Sciences and Humanities Council (TASHCO), is seeking to commission a highly innovative, large-scale outdoor artwork that will have a strong visual impact as well as identify the City’s amphitheater. The amphitheater is home to a great variety of events including, dance performances, summer concerts, Thornton Community Band performances, outdoor community theater and even family reunions. Margaret Carpenter Park and the Amphitheater serve over one hundred thousand people every year. The Amphitheater Project is born out of discussions of Thornton residents and visitors and their desire to activate the space visually and embody the playful, creative community spirit of the City of Thornton.
This is a call for project designs. The project design should show innovation in material use, spacial consideration and contextual applications. Designs must include the back wall of the stage area, but artworks are not limited to the back wall. No artworks shall block or obstruct maintenance of the amphitheater or ease of movement in any traffic areas.
TASHCO is looking for designs that are visually alluring in both day and evening hours. Designs that demonstrate "outside the box" creativity with materials and content are encouraged. Artwork must be able to withstand the weather during all seasons.  
Artwork should help to “activate” the area by creating an element to draw people in and keep them seated in this area for gathering, socializing, etc. while productions or events are not in motion. Durable, low-maintenance materials are recommended to withstand daily activity. Designs should reflect the multitude of uses and take into account filming and photography at these events.

LOCATION: Margaret Carpenter Park Amphitheater - 3498 E 112th Ave, Thornton, CO 80233
(112th Avenue and Madison Street, Thornton CO)

This highly visible stage is 50 x 25 feet, the ADA ramp to the stage is 5 feet wide, the back wall is 9 feet tall 70 feet long, the side walk is 9 feet by 35 feet long, the area in front of the stage is 84 feet by 24 feet.  Site visits are encouraged but not necessary. 
Margaret Carpenter Park and the Amphitheater are a main gathering  place for Thornton residents and a draw for visitors. The Park is home to Thorntonfest, Fourth of July in Thornton, Movies in in the Park and Winterfest. These events in total bring in hundreds if thousands of people every year. The summer concert series, theater, dance programs, art sales and performances that take place in the amphitheater are part of the community space that Margret Carpenter Park embodies and welcomes.

BUDGET: This is a call for designs. The artist that is chosen will be awarded $2,000 for a design for a project that will be further developed with the committee. 
 
The production of the artwork and installation will be budgeted and contracted separately between the artists an the City and is not part of this call for entry.

The total project cost is open and will depend upon the design that is selected.

TIMELINE: 
Application Deadline: January 31, 2018 5 p.m.

Notify Artists of Status: February 28, 2018 

The Thornton Arts, Sciences and Humanities Council (TASHCO) reserves the right to change the project timeline.  Depending on the schedule of the selected artist(s), and that of the City of Thornton and TASHCO, the project start date will be mutually agreed upon.

Eligibility: The project is open to all Colorado artists (and/or artist teams), age 18 and over, regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, age, military status, sexual orientation, marital status, or physical or mental disability. Artist teams are eligible to apply, including teams of artists from multiple disciplines.  Preference will be given to those with previous large scale mural project experience and a connection to the Thornton community. Artists must demonstrate a history of large scale public artwork project experience and provide references. City of Thornton employees are not eligible.

Virtual tour of the space: https://youtu.be/ovQ6bLaeQnQ

QUESTIONS/FOLLOW UP:
Contact Krystle Codrey at krystle.codrey@cityofthornton.net or 720-977-5882

Application Requirements

Eligibility Criteria

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