REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS
Carpio-Sanguinette Park/Heron Pond Public Art Project
Budget: $250,000 USD for multiple artworks
Eligibility: Open to artists residing in the state of Colorado

DEADLINE: Monday, July 27, 2020; 11:59 P.M.MST

Introduction
The City of Denver’s Public Art Program seeks to commission one or more Colorado artists or artist teams to create original works of art for the Carpio-Sanguinette Park / Heron Pond. The total public art budget for the park is $250,000 USD, and the art selection panel would like to commission several works of art with individual budgets of between $50,000 and $125,000.

Park Location and History
The park property lies along the South Platte River in the Globeville Neighborhood and is comprised of approximately 80 acres made up of several separate Denver Parks and City-owned properties, including the Carpio-Sanguinette Park, Heller Open Space and Heron Pond. The park serves the Globeville and Elyria Swansea neighborhoods as well as the future National Western Center Campus. The park and the Globeville community have a rich history that needs to be remembered. The Globeville neighborhood was first incorporated as a town in 1891. It was a community based around the Globe Smelter, once the Holden Smelter, other smelters in the area, the meatpacking industry and stockyards, and was incorporated into Denver in 1902. There was an early influx of eastern European and Polish immigrants into the neighborhood but soon the neighborhood became the home for communities of many cultures which added to its strength. As industry became more mechanized, the economy of the neighborhood declined, and in the 1950s and 60s the construction of the two Interstates, I-25 and I-70, further negatively impacted Globeville, along with Elyria and Swansea, two other historic neighborhoods in close proximity to the park. The area surrounding the park is primarily industrial and commercial. The nearest residential area is in Globeville, less than a quarter mile to the west.

Vision of the Park - A natural refuge and destination that improves and educates about biodiversity, sustainability, history, community well-being, and safety by:

·       Creating a premier destination park that balances human interaction, water quality, and resource protection

·       Restoring native plant communities; Increase areas for wildlife habitat; Minimize negative environmental impacts to the public

·       Creating a unique and strong identity for the park that supports the inherent beauty of the park and community history

·       Creating a series of dynamic spaces that allow for community events

·       Allowing for educational opportunities throughout the park at outdoor classrooms and satellite learning spaces

·       Encouraging the integration of the arts as a unique feature

For more information please visit: https://www.denvergov.org/content/dam/denvergov/Portals/747/documents/planning/heron-pond/Heron-Pond_final-master-plan.pdf

Globeville and Elyria Swansea Neighborhoods
Denver’s Globeville and Elyria Swansea neighborhoods are located near the park. In addition to the South Platte River, major physical landmarks in the neighborhood include the Denver Coliseum, I-70, the Nestlé Purina pet food facility, and Swansea Elementary School. In the mid-19th century, the area was highly valued by industry and commerce because of the flat terrain and proximity to the river. It was the epicenter of agribusiness in the region for most of the 20th century. With industry in the area, especially smelting and meat-packing, came settlement and housing. Industry, railroads and housing grew together over the years. Although the smelters are now gone, and the meat-packing industry is much-diminished, a strong industrial presence remains today, as does an established residential community with a significant supply of workforce housing. Strong community cohesion and civic pride bolster the neighborhoods even when challenged with quality-of-life issues, including gentrification and displacement. Many significant changes are on the neighborhoods’ immediate horizon, including new commuter rail transit stations, changes to I-70, and the new vision for the National Western Center.

Project Themes and Goals
The art selection panel members have set forth specific goals and parameters for this public art project with the hope of creating a unique and inspiring experience for the diverse communities that border the site and the many visitors that will enjoy the Carpio-Sanguinette Park / Heron Pond. Works that demonstrate an authentic connection between human activity and the land, and tell the story of the place - historically, agriculturally, socially, culturally, and ecologically - are encouraged, as are projects that include direct community involvement. The art selection panel is searching for artists who have a deep understanding of the site and the vision for its future in order to create works of art that are relevant to the community and are timeless and forward-looking.

Some important themes for the project:

·       Community; ethnic history of the GES neighborhoods; social impact

·       Culture reflects past, present and future

·       The Natural World – the river, land, sky

·       Collective approach and community engagement

The selection panel is open to artwork in materials that are suitable for permanent outdoor display.  The selected artists or artist teams are asked to be mindful and respectful of the parks’ ecological functionality, users of all ages and abilities, the master plan’s initiatives and goals, and the neighborhood and surrounding communities.

Maintenance & Durability
All applicants are expected to consider the issues of long-term conservation and maintenance of public art, along with time and budget. These projects are located in the public realm and may therefore be exposed to weather and physical stresses, as well as be subject to vandalism. Artworks should be fabricated of highly durable, low-maintenance materials. Finalists are encouraged to consult with a professional conservator prior to the submission of a final proposal. Artist proposals will be reviewed by the City of Denver’s Public Art Committee to ensure conformity with city standards of maintenance and durability, as well as ADA standards. All finalists are expected to stay on budget and to complete work in an approved time frame.

Eligibility
This project is open to artists residing in the state of Colorado, 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. The art selection panel is particularly interested in artists who can demonstrate a deep understanding of the area’s diverse history, landscape and surrounding neighborhoods.

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 project is $250,000 USD. These funds are allocated per the City of Denver’s 1% for Public Art Ordinance resulting from the construction of the Carpio-Sanguinette Park / Heron Pond. This budget will be divided into more than one separate project, with budgets ranging between $50,000 and $125,000. The selected finalists will be asked to respond to a specific site, or art opportunity, based on the map at the end of this document, and will be given a final art budget before creating their proposal. The final, to be determined, 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, permits, 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 performed on city property, prevailing wage requirements will be applied.

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

Monday July 27, 2020; 11:59 P.M. MST        Deadline for entry (via CaFÉ™ system)

September, 2020                                           Finalist Selection

November, 2020                                            Artist Selection and Notification

Project Selection Panel
According to Denver’s Public Art policy, the project selection panel plays an active role in the acquisition of public art for Denver. The Carpio-Sanguinette Park / Heron Pond selection panel is comprised of 11 voting members and additional non-voting advisors. The selection panel is responsible for reviewing the site, establishing criteria, writing a request for qualifications, reviewing applications, selecting and interviewing finalists, and identifying an artist or artist team for the commission. 

Selection Process
Finalists will be paid a $1,000 stipend for their proposal, which will include renderings, a narrative, a detailed budget, and maintenance plan. Finalists will be directed to a particular “art opportunity” site from the map at the end of this document and given an art budget ranging from $50,000 to $125,000 in order to create a proposal. They will also receive more specific technical information regarding the site and have the opportunity to meet with site representatives, the design team, and public art staff as well as have the opportunity to attend a community engagement meeting. The selection panel will review the proposals, interview the finalists and recommend artists for the commissions. The final recommendation of the selection panel will be presented to the Public Art Committee, the Denver Commission on Cultural Affairs, and the Mayor of Denver 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 six digital images of previously completed artworks through the CaFÉ™ system. Artists who wish to submit kinetic, sound or media works must submit a complete CaFÉ™ application and will have the opportunity to upload one video file.

IMPORTANT: if submitting audio or video files, do not use them as your very first image. They must be submitted last in your image sequence.

Instructions on how to format images to CaFÉ™ specifications can be found at https://www.callforentry.org/uploading-images-audio-and-video-files/. Assistance in using the CaFÉ™ system is available here: https://www.callforentry.org/artist-help-cafe/. If an artist does not have access to a computer, they may call 720-865-5563 to make arrangements to use a computer at Denver Arts & Venues offices.

Statement of Interest—Please submit a statement outlining your interest in the Carpio-Sanguinette Park / Heron Pond public art project and why it is of special interest to you (5,000 character maximum) via CaFÉ™. 

Additional Questions to be answered via CaFÉ™:

·       Do you have a direct connection to the site and/or the surrounding neighborhoods? If so, please describe.

·       What would community engagement look like to you and how would you incorporate it into your artistic process? Please describe.

Résumé—Submit a current résumé (no more than two pages) 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 one page per team member.

Survey—All Applicants will also be required to fill out a short demographic survey that will be sent via Survey Monkey to the email on file from the CaFÉ™ application.

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

Application Requirements

Eligibility Criteria