OVERVIEW

The Town of Castle Rock Public Art Commission seeks proposals for a sculptural art piece to enhance and beautify Town Hall Plaza, the Town’s newest civic gathering space located in the heart of Downtown Castle Rock.  

In thriving communities all over the world, art and culture are found. Public art can inspire awe, enhance and beautify shared public spaces, make people smile, unite and promote togetherness, honor heritage, and pay tribute to history and public service. 

Castle Rock is known for its family-friendly charm, and our theme is “a world-class community with small-Town character.” Castle Rock is distinguished by its vibrant and historic Downtown, distinct identity as the Douglas County seat, and diverse and easily accessible recreation. 

Located in the foothills of the Colorado Rocky Mountains, Castle Rock’s ridges, valleys, open space and spectacular views lend to a stunning natural setting. Creeks and gulches meander through the many drainage basins and Ponderosa Pine and scrub oak cover the landscape. Panoramic views of the Rocky Mountains extend from Pike’s Peak to the south to Long’s Peak to the north.

At its founding, the namesake rock provided the landmark location for the Town. Ranching, the railroad, clay mines, and rhyolite quarries formed the basis for Castle Rock’s early economy. The Town’s physical setting with its ridges creates a natural shape and many residents strongly value the recreational activities these ridges now provide such as hiking and biking.   

There is also growing excitement within the Castle Rock community to add additional artistic places of interest in downtown. A recent public art survey showed that 92% of respondents felt art added value to their community and this sculptural piece will be highly visible to locals and visitors alike. 

Artists are invited to submit proposals for this exciting opportunity to celebrate and represent the Castle Rock community through a large-scale work of art. The ideal piece could evoke feelings of inspiration or joy, strengthen community pride, encourage fun and play, cultivate community dialogue, foster reflection, promote unity and connectedness or instill a sense of home and place.  

WHO WE ARE

Incorporated in 1881, the Town of Castle Rock is a vibrant and spirited community with a rich history and heritage. The Public Art Commission functions as the catalyst for local public art experiences and works to enhance community vibrancy and small-town character. 

SITE LOCATION AND SPECIFICATIONS

The site is located in the plaza of Town Hall, 100 N. Wilcox Street, Castle Rock, CO, 80104. The site’s general dimensions are 22 feet by 15 feet and its installation surface is concrete slabs with soil below. The artwork would not need to fill out the entire site. The site could also be modified to anchor the sculpture or concrete saw cut to make way for a sculptural foundation.  Surrounding the installation site are light poles that are approximately 25 feet tall, as well as trees that are currently 15-20 feet tall. Please see the included image (below). 

The plaza will be highly utilized as a pedestrian walkway and public gathering area. It provides a connection to Town Hall and the adjacent Festival Park. To the northeast of Town Hall sits the park, which hosts tens of thousands of event attendees each year at movie nights, farmers markets, festivals and concerts. To the south of Town Hall sits a newly constructed seven-story building with residential, retail, office space, and a parking garage.

Application Requirements

DEADLINE

All proposal materials must be submitted electronically by midnight on December 6, 2021. Artists may submit multiple proposals (up to five), but each proposal should be submitted as an independent submission to be eligible for consideration. 

Submit the following items in PDF format via email to Maia Aman, maman@CRgov.com in (1) single document. Please keep in mind that the maximum file size to this email address is 75MB, although outbound limitations by the sender may apply.

• Statement of Interest (250 words or less)
• Resume  (outline your accomplishments as an artist and examples of previous work)
• Budget (include labor and detailed outline of materials)
• Detailed sketch/design of proposed artwork

Hard copy submittals will not be accepted.  Each artwork must be submitted as its own proposal.

PROJECT CONSIDERATIONS

• The proposed artwork must be an original work. 
   
• The proposed artwork should be distinctive in design, color and subject matter and appropriate for public viewing of all ages. The piece will ideally be colorful to contrast the existing tan and brown brick of the surrounding installation site. 
   
• The proposed artwork must be three dimensional as it will be viewed from all directions. 
   
• The scale of the artwork should relate well to the surrounding architectural elements and be attractive from a distance, as well as up close. 
   
• The ideal art piece should be scaled to be a minimum of 15 feet tall, with an ideal height of approximately 25 feet tall. 
   
• The artwork acquired for this site must be durable, low-maintenance, pose no hazard to the public, require minimal conservation (optimally maintenance free for up to 15 years), meet safety standards, and adhere to building codes and other state regulations. 
   
• Given the expected attention that this project will attract, the artist agrees to participate in any press/media related opportunities as they arise including, but not limited to, print, radio/televised interviews, and discussions/presentations, as deemed appropriate by the Public Art Commission. 
   
• Additional Considerations: the artist/artist team will not be responsible for the general maintenance of the sculpture, but agrees to be available after the completion of services for consultation, if the need arises. 
   
• Potential adverse site conditions include: wind, sun, snow, extreme heat, freezing temperatures, potential for vandalism, etc. The selected artist will be required to provide a statement of recommended maintenance, as well as a recommendation for lighting the artwork.

Eligibility Criteria

TIMELINE (SUBJECT TO CHANGE)

November 2021 - Announcement and distribution of RFP 

December 6, 2021 - Deadline for submissions to RFP

February 2022 - Notification of winning proposal 

March 2022 - Contract phase 

April-August 2022 - Commencement and completion of installation

SELECTION PROCESS/CRITERIA

A selection committee has been assembled by the Public Art Commission for this project. Members of the committee are Castle Rock residents, local business owners, and stakeholders. The selection committee will review all completed proposals. 

The following criteria will be used in the selection process, in order of importance:  

• Design within the context of the site
• Originality, creativity and uniqueness of proposed artwork
• Submittal of all requirements as outlined below: statement of interest, resume, budget, sketch/design
• Artists credentials and qualifications as exhibited by past work

The committee will choose up to three semi-finalists who will be asked to continue in the process by presenting to the selection committee. Each will receive a stipend of $500 for concept proposals, which may include models, maquettes, fully executed  cartoons, digital simulations, etc. Finalists must be available to present their  concepts in person to the review panel. 

The Public Art Commission will make a recommendation to the Town Council regarding its first choice selection for placement in the plaza. The Town Council will have the final approval of the selected art. The Town reserves the right to reject any and all proposals submitted.   

CONTACT
Maia Aman | Administrative Supervisor
Town of Castle Rock | Parks and Recreation Department
1375 W. Plum Creek Parkway | Castle Rock, CO 80109
direct 720.724.2095 | cell 303.519.7932 | maman@CRgov.com