Qualifications are requested from artists interested in creating a site-specific public artwork for the exterior of the San Juan Building at Pueblo Community College in Pueblo, Colorado. The budget for this opportunity is $8,000 and the deadline is August 31, 2020. This call is open to Colorado artists only. A full copy of the RFQ can be viewed here.

ABOUT PUEBLO COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Pueblo Community College (PCC) traces its origin to 1933, when Southern Colorado Junior College (SCJC) was incorporated. SCJC classes were held on the top floor of the Pueblo County Courthouse and graduated the first class of 17 students in 1935. In 1936, the first building on the current Orman Avenue campus was built on land donated by the Colorado Fuel and Iron Corporation. One year later, local citizens made a commitment to support the institution with county taxes and organized the Pueblo County Junior College District, and the institution was renamed Pueblo Junior College. By 1987, PCC had become a comprehensive community college, offering a broad range of general, personal, vocational, and technical education programs as well as providing two-year transfer programs to qualify students for admission to the junior year at other colleges and universities. Today, PCC places equal emphasis on both vocational and transfer degree programs and is one of the most dynamic and progressive community colleges in Colorado. PCC continually strives to provide modern facilities, state-of-the-art equipment, and comprehensive technical and transfer programs that prepare students to enter the job market or transfer to a four-year school. Faculty and staff are committed to student success, offering quality classroom instruction and academic support.
For more on PCC’s history, see here.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION – ABOUT THE SAN JUAN BUILDING & WELD SHOP RENOVATION
The San Juan Building is one of the oldest buildings on PCC’s campus and was built in 1943. Originally a gymnasium, the building now holds a variety of academic programs, including the Fine Arts and the Welding programs. In addition to classroom and lab/shop spaces, this prominent Spanish/Mission Revival-styled building on campus houses an art gallery, faculty offices and PCC’s Facilities Department and support spaces. This construction project is an interior renovation of the San Juan Building’s Welding facilities, which includes expansion of the existing shop area, safety improvements including major mechanical upgrades, along with modifications to the exterior work yard area.

BUDGET: $8,000
All costs associated with the public art project including, but not limited to, artist design fee, structural engineering, insurance, materials, fabrication, transportation, installation , travel to and from the site, per diem expenses, project documentation, contingency to cover unexpected expenses and any other costs related to the project are covered by this budget. Selected semi-finalists will be invited to propose artwork for the location listed below. Semi-finalists will receive $750 as an honorarium for the creation of a design proposal.

OPPORTUNITIES FOR PUBLIC ART
The Art Selection Committee is looking to commission an artwork to be located on the exterior of the San Juan Building. The committee would like an artwork or artworks that are mounted to or on the building’s surface near the main entrance, with final location to be determined and coordinated with PCC.  A variety of materials for the artwork will be considered, and the work can be two-dimensional or three-dimensional, as long as it is on the side of the building. The committee would like the artwork to illustrate Pueblo Community College’s rich history through imagery or storytelling.

The Selection Committee will consider the following:
·         Artistic excellence
·         Thematic appropriateness
·         Scale, material, form and content
·         Appropriate relationship to the function of the site
·         Resistance to general wear and vandalism
·         Ease of maintenance, minimal and low cost maintenance

APPLICATION PROCESS
All applications for this project are being accepted through the online platform, CaFÉ™ (www.callforentry.org ). No hard copy or emailed submissions will be accepted. The applicant will be asked to submit digital images of art (see below for more information), a resume, and a brief statement of interest. There is no application fee to apply or to use the CaFÉ™ online application system. Assistance in using the CaFÉ™ system is available during regular business hours by calling 303-629-1166, 1-888-562-7232 or email cafe@westaf.org.

Digital Images. In order to be considered for this project, the applicant must electronically submit, via the CaFÉ™ system, no less than six (6) and no more than eight (8) digital images of previously completed artworks. Instructions on how to use CaFÉ™ and format images can be found at www.callforentry.org/image_prep.phtml.

Resume: Submit a current résumé, via CaFÉ™, that outlines professional accomplishments as an artist.

Statement of Interest: A statement of interest of 250 words or less must be submitted via CaFÉ™. It should briefly outline the interest in the specific opportunity and applicable experience.

COLORADO ART IN PUBLIC PLACES PROGRAM
In 1977, the Colorado General Assembly passed the Art in Public Places Act requiring that 1% of the construction costs of new or renovated state-owned buildings be used to acquire works of art for permanent installation at the project site. Colorado Creative Industries is responsible for implementation of the law. All works of art commissioned pursuant to this request are owned by the State of Colorado via Pueblo Community College. De-accession of the public art, if necessary, will follow the policies and procedures established by Colorado Creative Industries.

ELIGIBILITY
All applicants must be legal residents of the state of Colorado. The artists must have the skills and experience commensurate with the responsibility of successfully completing a major public art installation. The Program is open to all artists regardless of race, color, creed, gender, gender variance, national origin, age, religion, marital status, political opinion or affiliation, or mental or physical handicap.

SELECTION PROCESS AND SCHEDULE
The Art Selection Committee will review all complete submittals. A short list of semifinalists will be invited to prepare and present a final proposal and be paid an honorarium of $750. Final selection(s) will be made from the semifinalists’ proposals. The schedule is as follows:

Monday, August 31st, 2020 11:59 pm MST - Deadline for receipt of submittal via CaFÉ™ system
September 2020– Selection committee meets to select Semi-Finalists
September 2020 - Notification of Semi-Finalist selection
October 2020– Artist presentations to the Art Selection Committee
October 2020 – Artist selected

QUESTIONS
If you require more information or clarification, please contact Ruth Bruno, Public Art Program Manager, at 303-892-3813 or ruth.bruno@state.co.us.

ADDITIONAL SOURCES OF INFORMATION
PCC History
PCC Mission & Vision
PCC Quality Highlights
Welding Program
Studio Art Program
Art History Program

Application Requirements

Eligibility Criteria