Contact: Jill Locantore, jill@denverstreetspartnership.org
Entry Deadline: 5 pm, April 14, 2022
Project Overview
The Denver Streets Partnership (DSP), in partnership with the Federal Boulevard Business Improvement District (BID), is seeking an artist to design and install an intersection mural at 25th Avenue and Eliot Street in Denver’s Jefferson Park neighborhood.
Goal
The street mural project is intended to celebrate the 10-year anniversary of a community-led effort to revitalize the commercial heart of the Jefferson Park neighborhood that is now coming to full fruition.
Intersection mural installed at 25th and Eliot in 2012.
Denver’s first ever intersection mural was installed in June of 2012 at the intersection of 25th Avenue and Eliot Street as part of the Better Block Jefferson Park demonstration project (see photo above). The Better Block project temporarily demonstrated how to improve a commercial street with pedestrian and public infrastructure mixed with art, culture, pop-up businesses and street life. For one day, the project filled vacant storefronts, created pedestrian seating areas, provided landscaping and street furniture, redrew the street, provided live music, and more. Better Block aimed to create quick, inexpensive, high-impact changes that lead to permanent solutions. Since the Better Block event several new businesses moved into the area, occupying every commercial space along the block, and offering local employment opportunities and walkable destinations for neighborhood residents. In 2017 Denver voters approved $2.85 million in bond funding for pedestrian safety and streetscape improvements in the area, and the Denver Department of Transportation and Infrastructure (DOTI) is now finalizing plans for improvements on 25th Avenue, including safer pedestrian crossings, expanded green and multi-use spaces, and traffic calming features, which will be installed in 2023. To celebrate this success, DSP and the BID are hosting a community celebration on Saturday, June 11, and the goal is to install the new intersection mural prior to this event.
Eligibility: Proposals are open to emerging and established Denver-based artists.
Proposals should include:
- Simple schematic for possible mural in the intersection
- A budget for the project
- Experience working with community members and volunteers
- CV/resume with current contact information
- Up to five sample images of previous artwork
Proposals should be submitted via e-mail to Jill Locantore at jill@denverstreetspartnership.org no later than 5 pm, Thursday, April 14.
Questions: Any questions should be submitted via email to Jill Locantore at jill@denverstreetspartnership.org.
Artist Scope of Work and Timeline:
- Designs will be finalized and subject to final review/approval by City Traffic Engineer by May 12, 2022.
- Painting of the intersection mural will be completed by June 10, 2022. DSP will recruit community volunteers to assist with painting.
- Selected artist will receive a stipend of $1200 to cover their design work and time. Up to an additional $1800 is available for supplies including paint, paint brushes, paint mixes, tarp rollers, etc. DSP will assist with purchase of paint and supplies, to ensure paints work on asphalt, and comply with DOTI requirements.
Background info for artists to consider:
- DOTI has standard guidelines on colors and designs for intersection murals, summarized in this document: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1tdWDIkLdnHCNfe6_Q2KSJDb-uC1fRGIVaLv4RZeuseg/edit
- The mural will be installed with ColorPave HD paint, which is meant for painting asphalt. It contains sand for added traction and durability. It is usually installed using paint brushes and/or rollers. Stencils have been successfully used as well. The artist should account for these materials in their budget.
Qualification Review:
- Artistic excellence: What is the quality of the proposal?
- Goal: Does the proposed design align with the community-centered focus of the project?
- Approach: What is the artist’s experience working with community members and volunteers on installation of a mural?
- Capabilities: Does the artist have sufficient experience to carry out their proposal within the timeframe?
Selection Process: Proposals will be selected by a panel including representatives from DSP, the BID, the Jefferson Park community, and DOTI.