Art on the Streets celebrates the power of art in public places, while turning the streets of Downtown Colorado Springs into a yearlong outdoor sculpture gallery. More than 300 artworks have been exhibited Downtown since AOTS began in 1998, and the district is home to more than 50 permanent works, over 30 of which have been purchased through AOTS.

Selected artists each receive a $2,000 honorarium. All selected artists are also eligible for the following awards:

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

This year represents the 21st year of this program, and up to 12 artists will be chosen to exhibit. In addition to the honorarium, each artist is offered two nights of complimentary lodging in Colorado Springs, one of which will be used during installation, and one of which will be used to attend the exhibition's Launch Party event.

TIMELINE

• February 11, 2019: Submission deadline
• March 15, 2019: Selection notification to artists
• May 20-31, 2019: Installation of works
• June 6, 2019: Exhibit Opening / Launch Party and Presentation of Juror Award
• May 2020: Exhibit Closing / Work reclaimed by artists

SELECTION PROCESS

Selected artists are chosen through a jury process in which artistic quality serves as the primary criterion. Secondary criteria include installation, maintenance and safety concerns, as well diversity of works included in the annual exhibit. All works will be evaluated for stability by a structural engineer contracted by Downtown Ventures. While sculpture tends to dominate the entry pool, other types of public art suitable for an outdoor experience are encouraged, including murals as well as interactive and multimedia works.

SITE CONSIDERATIONS

Downtown Colorado Springs is an urban environment, and works should be suitable for placement in a setting that is accessible to the public 24/7. Artists should also consider Colorado weather, which can include extreme sun, strong winds, freezing/moisture, and fluctuations between hot and cold.

Art on the Streets also has the ability to work with artists on larger and/or site-specific installations. We welcome proposals that move beyond a single sculpture that might include (but are not limited to) interactive, temporary or multimedia work. Proposals of this type do need to consider how the piece will be publicly accessible and/or documented to be accessible for the duration of the one-year Art on the Streets exhibit.

Selected artwork for the Art on the Streets exhibit will be exhibited throughout the 40-square-block Downtown district, with the majority of works clustered in the busiest 10- to 15-block core. In addition, a few special sites (see below) offer the opportunity to display works that fit a more specific set of criteria. Please note the following criteria DO NOT need to be met in order for work to be considered for Art on the Streets as a whole. If works are being submitted for the following sites, please indicate in comments about submitted proposal within artist statement.

Mural Opportunity Sites

Art on the Streets is placing strong emphasis on mural proposals for the 2019 exhibit. Staff have identified a portfolio of priority sites for murals throughout the Downtown area – please visit http://downtowncs.com/muralsites to view. Mural proposals may reference one of these sites specifically or may be submitted for consideration for any available site. Though an in-situ presentation of proposed mural is preferred for site-specific proposals, concept drawings or samples of previous work are also fine – it is understood that final dimensions will vary based on site selected. Artists should note that acceptance of mural proposals will be pending approval of site owner in addition to exhibit jurors. Artist must specify whether paint or vinyl laminate will be used to render the image on the selected wall – it will be Artist’s responsibility to purchase paint or order laminate; Art on the Streets will fund installation costs as needed including lifts, scaffolding and skilled labor.

Transit Gallery: Art on the Streets at the Downtown Transit Center

Two of the pieces in the 21st annual exhibit will be selected through a partnership with Mountain Metropolitan Transit to be installed at the Downtown Transit Center. There are three existing concrete pedestals available at the Transit Center, located at the corner of N. Nevada Avenue and Kiowa Street. Pedestal #1 can accommodate a piece that is up to 3' deep, 3' wide, and 5' high. Pedestal #2 can accommodate a piece that is up to 32" deep, 52" wide, and 5' high. Pedestal #3 can accommodate a piece that is up to 3’ deep and 4’ wide, with no height restriction. Additional floor space and wall space are available inside the Transit Center lobby (10-foot ceiling clearance). When considering pieces for installation at the Transit Gallery, jurors will give special consideration to works that include an interactive component.

The Art of Accessibility: Art on the Streets at the Independence Center

This custom-poured 7x7’ concrete pad sits between the curb and the sidewalk along busy South Tejon Street, right outside the Independence Center. This charitable nonprofit is committed to advocating for people with disabilities, and one of their most beloved programs champions arts experiences for people with disabilities. In the 2019 Art on the Streets exhibit, this concrete pad will be dedicated to displaying a work of sculpture that is interactive and engaging to individuals with a variety of disabilities, including differences in vision, hearing and mobility. Works that include touchable texture, movable elements and/or sound will be given priority at this site. Applicants submitting their work for consideration at this site should include comments in their artist statement explaining why their work is suited to the goals and specs of this site. For additional details and images of this site, please email claire@downtowncs.com at least two weeks in advance of submission deadline (02/11/19).

Alleyway Activation: Suspended wire grid

The site of the AFTA award-winning AOTS sculpture Poly Poly by Sean O’Meallie (2015) is available for proposals from new artists this year. This site consists of 14 horizontal 1/4” cables anchored between the historic Hibbard and Carlton buildings at 15 S. Tejon St. Total site dimensions are 31’ H x 20’ W x 31” D. Each 1/4” cable is rated to support a 900 lb. maximum stress load (12,600 lb. maximum stress). Artwork must withstand 40 MPH winds from all directions. Beneath the cables is an east-west service alley which receives heavy large vehicle and pedestrian traffic. No part of the installation can extend below the bottom cables. This block of Tejon Street is one of the busiest in Downtown Colorado Springs with restaurants, nightclubs, coffee shops, business offices and residences, U.S. Bank and the headquarters of the U.S. Olympic Committee. Proposed works MUST be designed to fit site parameters – to obtain a detailed diagram of the site, please email claire@downtowncs.com at least two weeks in advance of submission deadline (02/11/19).

Again, the above criteria DO NOT need to be met in order for work to be considered for Art on the Streets as a whole. If works are being submitted for the above sites, please indicate in comments about submitted proposal within artist statement.

JURY/SELECTION PANEL

Joy Armstrong is Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art at the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center at Colorado College, where she has collaborated on over 50 exhibitions featuring regional and international artists. Armstrong curated “El Mac: Aerosol Exalted” which inspired the award-winning biennial event JAM FAC, and was honored as a Colorado Springs Business Journal “Woman of Influence” in 2016. Armstrong holds an MA from Kent State University and a BA from the University of Denver. 

Ashley Clemmer has over thirteen years’ combined experience working as a curator, administrator, educator, program developer, and project manager within socially conscious non-profit arts organizations.  She currently serves as the Director of Programs and Community Engagement at the Rothko Chapel, a Sacred Art Space located in Houston, Texas.  Here Ashley curates and produces an array of public programming that intersects Art, Spirituality and Human Rights, including: symposia, human rights awards, meditations, concerts and lectures. As the previous Director of Public Art at Project Row Houses, Ashley worked with over 150 artists on site-specific projects within Houston’s historic Third Ward Community. She holds a B.A. in Studio Art from Roanoke College in Salem, VA and a M.A. in Community Art from the Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore, MD.

A member of the Pyramid Lake Paiute tribe, Gregg Deal is an artist and activist whose work deals with Indigenous identity and pop culture, touching on issues of race relations, historical consideration and stereotype. Deal’s notable works include The Last American Indian on Earth, White Indian, and American Genocide Reconciled Thru Football. Deal worked as a graphic designer then self-employed artist in the Washington, D.C. area for 16 years, then moved to Colorado, where the Denver Art Museum hosted Deal as a Native Arts Artist-in-Residence. Deal’s recent work includes a series of murals on the CU Boulder campus.

ABOUT US

Art on the Streets (AOTS) is managed as a program of Downtown Colorado Springs, through Downtown Ventures, Inc. The program is presented by founding sponsor U.S. Bank, with additional support from generous corporate and individual donors.

Designated as a Certified Creative District through the State of Colorado's creative district program, Downtown Colorado Springs recognizes the power of public art in placemaking. Downtown is the heart of Colorado Springs' cultural community, and the arts play a central role in economic development, tourism, and quality of life.

Art on the Streets is a celebrated Downtown tradition, currently in its 21st year, that enlivens the urban experience for the 17,000 individuals who work there, as well as for residents and tourists. Annual exhibits are heavily promoted by Downtown Colorado Springs, including regional and national press outreach, a GPS-based smartphone tour of the exhibit, and a full-color exhibit brochure distributed throughout Downtown. It is also available online at www.downtowncs.com/aots.

AOTS has influenced purchase and permanent installation of many of the works of public art in Downtown Colorado Springs. More than 200 artworks have been exhibited throughout Downtown Colorado Springs since AOTS began in 1998, and Downtown Colorado Springs is home to more than 50 permanent works, more than 30 of which have been purchased through AOTS.

ENTRY DETAILS

• Artists may submit one (1) work per application. Up to three images may be included to represent the work. For sculpture, artists should consider a suggested minimum dimension of 3 feet, vertical or horizontal, and scaled to outdoor spaces. For murals, concept drawings or samples of previous work are fine – it is understood that final dimensions will vary based on site selected. All artists should consider that their work will be exhibited outdoors and accessible to the public for a period of approximately 11 months.
• Artists may submit multiple proposals, through multiple applications, with a discounted application fee of $10 for every application after the first $25 fee. To submit multiple works, please use the following process: 1. Submit your first application and pay the $25 application fee. 2. Contact staff to receive a coupon code for subsequent applications, to activate the discounted application fee.

Entry Submissions:

All materials should be submitted in digital format through CaFE™ at www.callforentry.org.

A three-step guide to using the CaFE™ system:

1. Login or new users register on CaFE to create a user name and password.
2. Format images to system specification then upload images of work.
3. After uploading images click "Apply to Calls", search for "21st Annual Art on the Streets", and click "Apply to this Call."

All submissions must include:

• Full contact information: Name, address, phone and email.
• Narrative description of the artwork including title, medium/media, dimensions (in feet, h x w x d), weight, price of artwork and any applicable notes.
• A current, professional resume
• Two-paragraph maximum artist’s statement incorporating comment about submitted proposal.
• Installation plan (see details below)
• Non-refundable entry fee of $25, payable by VISA or MasterCard at time application is submitted, plus any discounted fees for multiple applications.

Questions? Please contact Urban Engagement Manager Claire Swinford by calling 719-886-0088, or via email: claire@downtowncs.com Entries must be received by 5:00 p.m., MST, on February 16, 2019.

INSTALLATION:

• What you will provide: Each selected artist bears responsibility for the installation of his/her work. Artists must deliver (or ship) their work and assist in its installation. All selected artists must provide a detailed plan for the installation of their artwork, to include any engineering specifications, all required equipment and supplies, unique considerations for non-metal media, and other significant factors affecting exhibition for an extended period of time. Receipt of a W9 Taxpayer Identification Form is required prior to payment of honorarium.
• What we will provide: Reasonable installation expenses are covered by Art on the Streets, including additional labor and equipment needs in some cases, as long as these needs have been specified in the installation plan. A $2,000 honorarium will be awarded to each selected artist, so please calibrate installation costs accordingly. Cost of materials, labor and supplies over and above those stated in the installation plan will be deducted from honorarium. AOTS shall make emergency repairs when necessary.
• Liability: AOTS, its sponsors and the City of Colorado Springs shall not be liable for any loss incurred due to a faulty connection between the artwork and the surface it is attached to. Please call 719-886-0088 with any questions BEFORE submitting your entry and installation plan.
• Timing: Installation will occur from May 20-31, in the weeks prior to the exhibit's Launch Party in June 2019. Should the artist request a change in the installation plan, AOTS reserves the right to deduct additional/unexpected expenses (for example, a change in delivery/installation schedule of the artwork that results in additional equipment rental costs).
• Questions: If you have any questions regarding AOTS's installation process and support, please call staff prior to applying. 719-886-0088

Application Requirements

Eligibility Criteria