FUNDING

Project is focused on the Colorado Avenue Gateway, in particular the Colorado and I-25 underpass between Old Colorado City and Downtown Colorado Springs. Pending future funding, the scope may be broadened to include other gateways identified in the Downtown Gateway Implementation Plan. Should the scope of work extend beyond the Western Gateway at Colorado Avenue, the selection committee may extend invitations for multiple sites to one or more artists for additional locations based on this call for entry. It is intended that a $50,000 all-in stipend shall cover costs and compensation to artist for treatment of the Colorado Avenue Gateway. In the event of additional funds being made available and juror selection of an especially compelling proposal, Community Ventures at its discretion may reallocate these funds to meet artist or artists’ estimated budget(s) for additional projects. In addition to the honorarium, each artist is offered up to 12 nights of complimentary lodging in Colorado Springs (intended to be used during site planning visits and installation). For an artist team, up to 12 complimentary nights’ lodging can be arranged.

TIMELINE

• Application open: Early February 2019
• Application deadline: April 12, 2019
• Jurying process: April 15-19, 2019
• Juror meeting: Late April 2019
• Notification to artists: End of April 2019
• Planning period (may require multiple site visits/ neighborhood engagement sessions): May- June 2019
• Installation period (artist required to be on-site): July-October 2019*
  • *Flexible based on artist’s fabrication timeline; may be pushed to spring 2020

SELECTION PROCESS

Selected artists will be chosen through a jury process in which placemaking serves as the primary criterion. Secondary criteria include artistic quality and social impact, as well as long-term maintenance and safety considerations. Strong applications will address all of these elements. Selected proposals will be evaluated for stability by the City’s Office of Risk Management and a structural engineer independently contracted by Community Ventures.

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, with a moderate risk of vandalism. Artists should also consider Colorado weather, which can include extreme sun, strong winds, freezing/moisture, and fluctuations between hot and cold.

The primary site for this project is the Colorado Avenue underpass at Interstate 25, a singularly charmless concrete tunnel that also happens to be one of the city’s primary conduits for east-west traffic, including four motor vehicle lanes, two bike lanes and two sidewalks separated by pillars supporting the interstate above. This underpass marks the border between the Downtown Creative District and the Old Colorado City Historic District, and sees tens of thousands of tourists each year in addition to business and leisure commuters to Downtown. It borders a major city park (America the Beautiful), the U.S. Olympic Museum (currently under construction), the Depot Gallery District, and a currently revitalizing historic neighborhood of single-family homes and restaurants. The ideal placemaking project at this site will engender a sense of welcome and unique neighborhood identity, while forming a more friendly visual linkage between the two distinct districts -- primarily by making the underpass more hospitable and engaging to non-motorized transit (pedestrians and cyclists).

Additional sites identified in the Downtown Gateway Implementation Plan call primarily for wall treatments; however, consideration will be made for other, more dimensional pieces that can be incorporated into each different environment.  Pending additional grant funding, the remaining six gateway areas identified in the Downtown Gateways Implementation Plan may be added to the project with the goal of creating visually distinct but teleologically linked placemaking treatments through public art. As such, extra consideration will be given to artists whose proposals encompass multiple iterations or diverse applications suitable for additional sites identified in the plan.

To explore public art sites identified in the Downtown Gateways Implementation Plan, please visit https://downtowncs.com/wgp/. Specifications available at this website include precise dimensions and electrical capacity for each site. If additional details are desired, please email claire@downtowncs.com well in advance of proposal deadline.

JURY/SELECTION PANEL

The panel of jurors for the Downtown Western Gateway Public Art Project encompasses national artistic credentials and local investment in community, with emphasis on thoughtful representation of the diverse populations that contribute to Downtown Colorado Springs’ cultural landscape: including, but not limited to, the African-American and Hispanic communities, LGBT individuals, recent immigrants, students, entrepreneurs in the creative industries, and the working-class neighborhoods that border the urban core.

{C}·         Born in Denver in 1947, Floyd D. Tunson has worked over 40 years in drawing, photography, painting, mixed media, sculpture, and installation. In 1969 he earned a BA and in 1998, an MA from Adams State College. In 1971, he began a teaching career in Colorado Springs, while continuing to create an eclectic body of work. Tunson has exhibited throughout the Rocky Mountain region, including at the Robischon Gallery (Denver), Redline Gallery (Denver), Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center at Colorado College, Denver Art Museum, Yellowstone Art Museum, Arvada Art Center, University of Colorado, 516 Arts (Albuquerque), and the Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art. Certain of his work draws from his experience as an African-American male; other work reflects a broad view of the world, including global politics, art history, and beauty for beauty’s sake. In 2012-2013, Son of Pop, a forty-year retrospective, was hosted by the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center at Colorado College. In 2018, he exhibited new work for the premier of the Marie Walsh Sharpe Gallery at the Ent Center for the Arts, in Colorado Springs. In 2013, Tunson was the subject of a video interview by Rocky Mountain PBS. He has been reviewed in Westword, the Denver Post, Art Ltd, and Art Forum.

• George Sanchez received his degree in art from the University of Southern Colorado. Sanchez has taught at University of Southern Colorado and at the Sangre de Cristo Arts Center, and currently teaches at Pikes Peak Community College in Colorado Springs. Sanchez is in the permanent collection of the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center, and his paintings are in many corporate and private collections. He also has exhibited in one- and two-man exhibitions throughout the West. Born in Trinidad, CO, Sanchez now lives in Colorado Springs.
• Arley-Rose Torsone is a graduate of the Parsons School of Design. As an artist and member of the Dirt Palace collective, Torsone has shown work in galleries across Rhode Island, New York and Pennsylvania as well as MoMA PS1 and the Carpenter Center for the Visual Arts at Harvard University. She is a two-time recipient of the Rhode Island State Council on the Arts' Fellowship Merit Awards in Design. With her wife she founded Ladyfingers Letterpress, an award-winning international stationery brand which opened its flagship in Downtown Colorado Springs in 2016. Ladyfingers also manages The Work Continues Project, which benefits the ACLU, Southern Poverty Law Center, NAACP, Inside/Out Youth Services of Colorado Springs and the Black Educators Network of El Paso County, CO.
• Leah Davis Witherow is the Curator of History and Archivist for the Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum. She has a B.A. and M.A. in History and received her archival training at the Modern Archives institute at NARA in Washington, D.C., and oral history training through the SAA. She has been conducting oral histories for over two decades, and is currently documenting the stories of residents from the Conejos Neighborhood, a working-class Hispanic neighborhood in Colorado Springs that no longer exists. (Note: This neighborhood was adjacent to the proposed project site.) Additionally, she has taught courses in 19th and early 20th century American History for 18 years at UCCS. In 2014 she was selected as the College of Letters, Arts and Sciences Outstanding Lecturer of the Year. Witherow is the former President of the Society of Rocky Mountain Archivists, a former Teaching American History program consultant and is a frequent speaker on regional history topics and regularly presents papers at professional conferences.
• Abigail Kreuser has lived in Colorado Springs since 1983. Through growing up in the Springs she has witnessed the potential and growth in the creative community of the Pikes Peak Region. Kreuser received her BFA in Fine Art Photography from Rochester Institute of Technology and has also studied photography and graphic design at Colorado Mountain College. Upon graduation in 2003 she founded Kreuser Gallery, LLC, specializing in fine art photography while managing her family business, Purple Mountain Coffee Company. In 2011 she opened a physical gallery location and coffee roastery at 218 West Colorado Avenue in the Depot Gallery District, just east of the Colorado Avenue underpass. The mission of Kreuser Gallery is to create and maintain a dynamic, independent forum providing a venue for established and up-and-coming local artists. In addition to solo exhibits of her own work, Kreuser has curated over 300 exhibitions in the Rocky Mountain Region and works with local galleries on an ongoing basis to feature the work of emerging artists.

The Western Gateway Public Art Project will be overseen by a subcommittee of Community Ventures dedicated to integrating public art treatments at each of the seven gateways identified in the Experience Downtown Master Plan, ensuring that each gateway treatment fits into the master plan’s larger vision for a Downtown that is a diverse and inclusive place to live, integrated with adjacent neighborhoods, offering an unforgettable visitor experience and serving as the cultural heart of the Pikes Peak Region.  The members of the Art on the Streets Gateways Subcommittee are:

{C}·         Joy Armstrong is Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art at the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center at Colorado College. During her tenure at the FAC, she has had the pleasure of collaborating on over 50 exhibitions featuring local/regional and national/international artists from the permanent collection as well as major temporary exhibitions. Armstrong was awarded “Curatorial Excellence” and “Creative, Intriguing, Astonishing” for Pamela Joseph’s Sideshow of the Absurd by the Pikes Peak Arts Council, curated the exhibition El Mac: Aerosol Exalted which inspired the award-winning biennial event JAM FAC and was honored as a Colorado Springs Business Journal’s “Woman of Influence” in 2016. Other recent projects include Everyday Extraordinary: From Rembrandt to Warhol (Selections from the Morton and Tobia Mower Collection), Bruce Munro’s delightful Thank You for a Very Enjoyable Game, presented in collaboration with the Green Box Arts Festival, and Jennifer Steinkamp: Judy Crook. Armstrong has coordinated many special events for the FAC, and has served on multiple juries and as guest curator for other regional institutions such as the Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities. Armstrong holds a Master of Arts degree in Art History from Kent State University, where she specialized in contemporary art and body art, and has a Bachelor of Arts in Studio Art and Communications from the University of Denver.  As of August 2018, she is a PhD candidate in the school of Educational Leadership at the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs.

{C}·         Matt Mayberry has served as the Cultural Services Manager for the City of Colorado Springs since 2002. In this capacity he oversees the operations of the Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum, Rock Ledge Ranch Historic Site, and the interpretive programs in Garden of the Gods Park and North Cheyenne Canon Park. He is also responsible for the administration and preservation of the City's collection of over 95 pieces of public art. He serves as a peer reviewer for the assessment and accreditation programs of the American Alliance of Museums and is a past member of the governing council of the American Association for State and Local History. He holds a MA in history from the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs and a BA in History from Iowa State University.

{C}·         Valerie Lloyd is owner and director of The Machine Shop which is a co-working space; home to architects, developers, designers, writers, and a Residency Artist Program with a Gallery space.  Valerie has taken the time to understand the arts community of the Pikes Peak region, curating artists and their work with care. Valerie strives to highlight emerging and established artists, to experiment and cull techniques in a new environment, and the Gallery has showcased some of the most dedicated artistic voices in the community.  Valerie’s support of other businesses and programs throughout the city is a testament to her cooperative philosophy, and desire to improve our city with creativity and design.

{C}·         Andrea Slattery is the Business Development Director at Nunn Construction. With nearly 15 years working in the architecture and construction industry, her major career driver has been the idea that the built environment has the power to affect positive change in people and their communities. A transplant from San Francisco and a native of metro Detroit, she is community-focused and loves spending time outdoors with her family. Andrea brings a passion for building, art, the environment and education. She has been a member of Community Ventures’ Arts on the Streets Committee since 2017.

ABOUT US

Community Ventures enlivens Downtown Colorado Springs through the arts, historic preservation, special events, and other public benefit programs. Best known for its 20-year temporary public sculpture exhibit, Art on the Streets, Community Ventures works in alliance with Downtown Partnership, an umbrella nonprofit also serving Downtown; and its sister organizations, the Downtown Development Authority (DDA) and the Downtown Colorado Springs Business Improvement District (BID). Designated as a Certified Creative District through the State of Colorado, 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 for the 29,000 individuals who work there, as well as for residents and tourists.

PROPOSAL MATERIALS

• Artists may submit one (1) work per application. Up to five images may be included to represent the work. Artists should consider that their work will be exhibited outdoors and accessible to the public.
• 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.
• All materials should be submitted in digital format through CaFE™ at www.callforentry.org.
• A three-step guide to using the CaFE™ system:
  1. Log in on CaFE , or for new users, register to create a username and password.
  2. Format images to system specification, then upload images of work.
  3. After uploading images click "Apply to Calls," search for "Downtown Western Gateway Public Art Project," and click "Apply to this Call."
• All submissions must include:
  • Full contact information: Name, address, phone and email
  • Narrative description of the proposed artwork including title, medium/media, dimensions (in feet, h x w x d), weight, and any applicable notes. Strong applications will address how the proposed project meets the selection criteria of placemaking, artistic quality, social impact, and maintenance/safety.
  • Two-paragraph maximum artist’s statement incorporating comment about submitted proposal.
  • Project budget, to include materials, fabrication costs, installation costs (including parts, labor and equipment), compensation for artist’s time and transportation/travel expenses, and budget for ongoing maintenance.
  • A current, professional resume.
  • Installation plan (see details below).
  • Draft fabrication/installation timeline (please refer to timeline listed above).
  • 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 p.m., MST, on April 12, 2019.

INSTALLATION

• What you will provide: Each selected artist bears responsibility for the fabrication and 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 assistance is covered by Community Ventures, including shipping/transportation, additional labor and equipment needs in some cases, as long as these needs have been specified in the installation plan. The $50,000 artist fee is intended to cover design and fabrication as well as artist honorarium, so please calibrate fabrication and installation costs accordingly. Cost of materials, labor and supplies over and above those stated in the installation plan will be deducted from honorarium. Community Ventures shall make emergency repairs when necessary.
• Liability: Community Ventures, 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 July to October 2019, following a six-week planning period. This period may be shifted to spring 2020 to accommodate additional time needed for fabrication (this decision will be made before contract is signed). Should the artist request a change in the installation plan after contract is signed, Community Ventures 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 Community Ventures’ installation process and support, please call staff prior to applying. 719-886-0088

Application Requirements

Eligibility Criteria