Project Description: 

The Fleet & Public Works Project, located at 4955 East 74th Avenue, Commerce City, Colorado 80022, is a multi-phased construction project to a build a state-of-the-art facility for the Adams County Fleet and Public Works Departments. Adams County is dedicated to keeping residents and visitors safe on our roads, bridges and access infrastructure. Our teams work year-round to service the community. 

The 8.64-acre plot will house three new buildings, a Fleet building, Public Works building and a Wash building, and will support a wide variety of skilled maintenance functions including paving, patching, pothole repair, street sweeping, snow and ice removal, traffic signage maintenance, gravel road maintenance, and all general maintenance functions necessary to keep the County’s road network in good condition.

Adams County is seeking an artist(s) to create an exterior public art installation  along the 650 ft-long fence line on Dahlia St. 

This project sits at a large intersection in Commerce City and is adjacent to the unincorporated Adams County neighborhood of Welby, which has deep roots in agriculture and farming.

The goal is to place original, project-specific artwork to complement the architectural plans for design, inspired by prairie-industrial,using materials including precast concrete and metal to create an industrial-warm atmosphere. 

Artistic inspiration should celebrate the critical work the Fleet and Public Works teams do to support Adams County, and represent the industrial, yet community-focused environment of this area. Additionally, inspiration with an eye toward a sustainable future, and the agricultural history of the area is encouraged.

The project Selection Panel is open to proposals for sculptural and/or mural work. Inspiration board is attached for reference and consideration but is not a guideline for submission.

The selected artist will work with project key stakeholders on the plans for design, timeline and installation  to create a fully integrated installation on or adjacent to a 650’ long, 6’ tall fence, and is expected to attend ongoing design and select OAC (Owner, Architect, Contractor) meetings for the Fleet & Public Works Project to ensure full integration of the installation. Artist will advise on fencing structure, materials, foundations and lighting. (Current plans for fencing are for a solid charcoal gray metal panel fence, but we are open to material recommendations to accommodate the installation.)

This is a phased, multi-year project, with the public art installation expected to be completed in the final phase of the project, after landscaping on Dahlia Street, currently estimated for 1st quarter 2023.

Project Budget: $170,000, all inclusive
Amount inclusive to all costs associated with this public art project including but not limited to, artist fees, insurance conforming to Adams County standards, stamped engineering, materials, fabrication, transportation and expenses, installation (including site modification and structural support/foundations), post-installation documentation, and consultants’ and subcontractors’ fees as pertaining to fabrication and installation. Funding for this project comes from the Adams County percentage for the arts program.

Timeline:

January 2021 - Call for Entry Posted
March 15, 2021 - Proposals Due
April 2021 - Panel Review
May 2021 - Finalist Selection Meeting; Finalists Contacted
June 2021 - Finalist Interviews
July 2021 - Study Session Finalist Review with Board of County Commissioners
August 2021 - Artist Award
September 2021 - Process Artist Agreement
September 2021 - Public Hearing for Award Contract
2021 – 2022 - Design / OAC Meetings
Q1, 2023 - Installation
*All dates subject to change
Submission Requirements:

1)     Resume and Professional References

a.      Include summary of exhibitions/public art projects completed during the past five (5) years, selected exhibitions/public art projects, awards, catalogues, current gallery affiliations, grants / fellowships, relevant education.

b.      Include phone numbers and email addresses for at least three (3) professional references.

2)     Letter of Interest

a.      A one-two page narrative outlining your qualifications and interest in this project and relevant work experience. 

b.      Please describe the conceptual basis for your body of work.

3)     Preliminary Concept Statement and Proposal

a.      Please describe your initial impressions of and projected approach to this public art project. Describe your vision for the project, including proposed concepts, materials, budget and timeline for project. Narrative should be no more than 1000 words.

b.      Provide images or concept sketches of proposed work specific to the Adams County Fleet and Public Works Project. Submit a minimum of two (2) images to illustrate your idea.

Evaluation Criteria and Process:

The Selection Panel will individually rate each applicant on the following criteria. Scores will be tallied to decide the finalists.

1. Creativity and concepts to demonstrate artist(s) ability to design and construct public art.

2. Overall fit of proposal to project: construction, purpose and location.

3. The quality – technical and aesthetic – of artist’s past work as represented in the image submissions.

4. Experience of artist in successfully designing, fabricating, administering and completing public art projects and/or custom elements on time and in budget.

5. Budget and timeline of the proposal.

After evaluating submissions, the Selection Panel will narrow the pool of applicants to approximately two to three finalists to bring in for an in-person interview*. Each finalist will be paid an honorarium of $1,500 for the submission and development of a proposal specific to the Fleet & Public Works Project, and to facilitate travel and design fees associated with the scope of work.

The artist(s) and their proposal will be subject to review through the Selection Panel and key stakeholders. Final acceptance will be made by the Adams County Board of County Commissioners.

* Due to COVID restrictions, interviews may be held virtually.

Selection Process: 
The Selection Panel for the Fleet & Public Works Project is made up of the Adams County Visual Arts Commission (ACVAC), a 7-member group of volunteer county residents appointed by the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC), and a representative from the Adams County Public Works Department, Facilities and Fleet Management Department and the Park, Open Space and Cultural Arts Department. Stakeholders will select the Artist(s) that best meets the requirements, based on the information contained in their response to the Call for Entry,, and the information presented during interviews as part of the selection process. The Selection Panel makes a recommendation to the BOCC for the final award. 

Application Requirements

Eligibility Criteria