Council District 8 Q4 2025 Updates

Welcome to Denver Public Art’s quarterly update—a roundup of new installations, works in progress and artist news happening across our city.

Each post in this series is organized by city council district. Not sure which district your neighborhood is in? Use the City of Denver’s interactive map to find out.

Five large horseshoe-shaped steel arches arranged in a row at The Urban Farm, forming a tunnel-like passageway. The arches have a weathered rust patina on the outer faces and are painted red on the inner edges, with circular holes punched along the curves. Red benches connect the bases. Farm structures, fencing, and an overcast sky are visible in the background. — “Talking Horseshoes” by Mary Williams

HORSEHOES THAT TALK BACK

“Talking Horseshoes” by Mary Williams is now complete at The Urban Farm. This playful, interactive piece invites young visitors to engage in imaginative storytelling through upside-down horseshoes paired with talking tubes. Celebrated during Farm Fest 2025, the artwork creates a space where curiosity and connection thrive. Watch our “Meet the Art” video about this piece.

Image 1 (story circle, close-up): "A close-up view of the 'Habitats' sculpture installation at Sand Creek Regional Greenway. Three dark steel arch forms frame a circular concrete pad, with the central arch featuring a detailed silhouette of a fox and a bird amid intricate branching and botanical cutwork. Five rounded granite boulders are arranged on the pad as seating. Dry autumn grassland and residential rooftops are visible in the background under a partly cloudy sky. — “Habitats” by Maureen Hearty

A wider view of the 'Habitats' installation showing four dark steel arch sculptures arranged in a circle on a concrete pad along the Sand Creek trail. Each arch encloses a different animal silhouette — including a heron, a bison, and a horse — set within delicate wire-like botanical framework. Small boulders sit at the center. Dry prairie grassland, a fence line, and an industrial warehouse building are visible in the background under a blue sky with clouds. — “Habitats” by Maureen Hearty

STORIES IN STONE AT SAND CREEK TRAIL

Maureen Hearty has unveiled “Habitats” at the Sand Creek Regional Greenway—a powerful piece honoring the area’s diverse species and rich history. The installation includes a stone story circle and a solar-powered audio box sharing community voices, weaving together Indigenous stories and present-day experiences. It’s a dialogue between past, present and future—rooted in nature and culture.

MUSIC MEETS ART

At the Environmental Learning Center for Kids (ELK), Maureen Hearty’s whimsical artwork “Kissing Birds” is now complete. This joyful piece includes an audio box playing music performed and mixed by ELK youth, adding a collaborative soundtrack to a vibrant celebration of creativity. The work debuted during the For Montbello event in Fall 2025. Watch our “Meet the Art” video about this piece.

ART ON THE MOVE

Five talented artists and organizations—Access Gallery, KoCo Collaborations, Justin “Juhb” DeCou, Lui Ferreyra and Janelle Stanley—have finalized designs for 15 new stations along the Colfax Bus Rapid Transit line. Fabrication is underway, and the first installation is expected in 2026.

An architectural rendering of 'Solar Chroma,' a large tree-shaped sculpture in a grassy park setting. The piece features a wide, flared canopy of colorful geometric panels in orange, red, yellow, teal, and blue, supported by a tapered central trunk. Integrated benches wrap around the base where several figures are seated. The sculpture casts a patterned geometric shadow on the ground below. Additional figures stand nearby on the surrounding lawn and path. — “Solar Chroma” Rendering by Anaisa Franco

SOLAR-POWERED ARTISTRY

Anisa Franco is bringing innovation to Verbena Park with “Solar Chroma”—a tree-inspired sculpture that combines art, shade and sustainability. Using organic photovoltaic technology, the piece will harvest sunlight during the day and softly illuminate the park at night. Design and fabrication will begin in 2026.

ART WITH PURPOSE AT THE DENVER RESCUE MISSION

The selection process for the Denver Rescue Mission public art project is officially underway! Panelists met on January 14 for orientation, kicking off a commission funded through ARPA dollars. The parent project includes major upgrades, such as a new commercial kitchen, a dog kennel and improved facilities—making this an opportunity to pair art with impact.

MORE ARTIST OPPORTUNITIES TO COME IN 2026

In 2026, the Public Art Program will significantly scale up its work—initiating a record number of new projects citywide to stay on track with bond commitments. To that end, keep an eye out for many new RFQ announcements throughout the year. All calls are listed at www.denverpublicart.org/for-artists. Follow us on social media and subscribe to our quarterly Public Art newsletter for updates.