The Town of Superior, Colorado Cultural Arts & Public Spaces Advisory Committee is creating a roster of pre-qualified artists and is inviting artists and artist teams BASED IN COLORADO to submit qualifications to be considered for the roster. The purpose of the roster is to streamline the artist selection process for upcoming public art projects and it may be used either in combination with an open or invitational selection process or as the sole resource for identifying appropriate artists/artist teams for a public art project. By applying to be considered for the roster, artists will be short-listed for projects in the following temporary and long-term art categories: Outdoor Mural, Sculpture, 2-D Framed or Canvas, Light-based, Sound-based, Fiber, Text-based, Ceramic/Mosaic and Environmental Installations. Deadline: Submissions will be accepted on a rolling basis and reviewed on a quarterly timeline. 

Creating an artist roster is one of the goals in the Superior Creative Placemaking Master Plan. There will be a number of upcoming and future opportunities for the Town of Superior. The artist roster will be utilized for those with a fast timeline to help streamline the selection process.

How to Submit Your Qualifications for the Artist Roster

You will be asked to submit the following items when you click the Apply button:

1. Select one art medium category: Outdoor Mural, Sculpture, 2-D Framed or Canvas, Light-based, Sound-based, Fiber, Text-based, Ceramic/Mosaic and Environmental Installations. We assumed artists will submit only one application. If you wish to submit an additional application for another medium category, you may submit up to three applications.
2. Copy and paste a brief artist/artist team statement no more than 2,000 characters.
3. Upload a resume with contact info no more than 2 pages.
4. Upload a list that corresponds with the work samples submitted. It must describe the work samples, including dimensions, title, location/client, project budget, etc.
5. Upload images, sound or video of completed work samples. A minimum of 4 digital images of completed artwork is required for all art categories. For sound-based art you may submit no more than 3 sound files. A maximum of 3 videos may be submitted if video can best depict the sample artwork.

FAQ's
Click here for frequently asked questions.

Deadline

Submissions will be accepted on a rolling basis throughout and reviewed on a quarterly timeline. We encourage artists/artist teams to submit to the roster and update information or images as necessary. 

Contact

Jennifer "JG" Garner, Cultural Arts Supervisor, jenniferg@superiorcolorado.gov   *Please no phone calls.

Questions

Questions about the Request for Qualifications may be submitted by email to Jennifer "JG" Garner at jenniferg@superiorcolorado.gov. Responses to questions will be distributed as an Addendum to the RFP on the Town Cultural Arts webpage.

Selection Process

Because this Request for Qualifications has a rolling deadline, the Cultural Arts & Public Spaces (CAPS) Advisory Committee will review submissions every three months. CAPS will review submissions based on the following criteria:

Guiding Principles for the Acquisition of Public Art

Contribute to building the Town’s identity while also creating more vibrant and attractive spaces for residents to gather and connect.

1. Increase Superior’s contribution to Colorado’s arts and culture assets.
2. Boost Superior’s economic growth by attracting and retaining more visitors and residents.
3. Artist and Art Selection Criteria
4. Artist experience and qualifications relevant to the scale of the project.
5. Artistic merit, high quality and unique design.
6. Probability of successful completion of the project.
7. Compatibility with the site, e.g. function of site, size and materials.
8. Compliance with all safety requirements.
9. Requires low maintenance and low-cost repairs and replacement.
10. Stands up to Colorado weather.
11. Other criteria that CAPS deems necessary.

ABOUT SUPERIOR

Superior's history is one of coal mining. The first mines in the area were developed in the late 1800's. The Town itself was founded in 1896 and incorporated in 1904. The Town reportedly was named after the "superior" quality of coal found in the area.

Mining was the major force in Superior's history until the Industrial Mine closed in 1945. Subsequently, many people moved out of the area and the Town evolved into a quiet ranching and farming community. The Town's population hovered around 250 until recently. For a good review of Superior's history, look at Lost Superior: Remembering the Architectural Heritage of a Colorado Coal Mining Town by the Superior Historical Commission. Copies of the book are available at Town Hall.

The Town's largest residential development is known as Rock Creek Ranch. Although the land was subdivided in 1987, development continues today. Through 2006, approximately 2700 single-family homes and 1800 multi-family homes have been developed in Rock Creek swelling Superior's population to approximately 12,483.

Future development plans of the Town include commercial development, retail development, multi-family residential units, and single-family homes. The Town is approximately four-square miles in area and has 630 acres of parks, green space, and open space and 35 miles of trails.

For more information, visit the Town webpage.

Application Requirements

All applicants must be COLORADO residents and at least 18 years of age. 

Eligibility Criteria

Eligible applicants include artists or artist teams working in the following medium categories: Outdoor Mural, Sculpture, 2-D Framed or Canvas, Light-based, Sound-based, Fiber, Text-based, Ceramic/Mosaic and Environmental Installations.