With 1% of all public improvement project budgets in the city going towards public art — over $40 million so far, Denver is a great place to be an artist.
Artist Information
The Public Art Program has worked extensively with regional, national and international artists and artist studios, as well as fabricators, engineers, photographers and consultants.
A complete listing of artist opportunities, guidelines, and resources is available in the Artist Information section. If you have additional questions, please don’t hesitate to call and speak with a member of the Public Art Program staff by emailing publicart@denvergov.org or calling 720-865-5575.
Denver Public Art hosted a virtual pre-application meeting for applicants interest in the Denver Botanic Gardens Request for Qualifications (RFQ) on Tuesday, December 17, 2024, at 5:30 p.m. The meeting covered project background and goals, and the application process. A recording of this meeting is available here.
Denver Public Art will host a virtual pre-application meeting on Wednesday, January 15, 5:30-6:30 p.m. for applicants interested in the Fire Station 40 project. The meeting will cover project background and goals, as well as the application process for this Request for Qualifications (RFQ). Attendees will also get information on CallForEntry.org, through which artists may apply. This event will be hosted on Zoom. Interested applicants are asked to register to get information on how to join prior to the event. If you cannot attend, a recording will be available on the Denver Arts & Venues Vimeo channel.
Public Art Opportunities
REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS: Denver Botanic Gardens Public Art Project
Public Art Project: Denver Botanic Gardens
Budget: $40,000 USD
Eligibility: Artists or Artist Teams residing in the United States
DEADLINE: Monday, January 6, 2025, 11:59 P.M. MST
Denver Public Art seeks to commission an artist or artist team to create public artworks for the Robert “Bob” A. Ming Bridge (Ming Bridge) inside the Denver Botanic Gardens, located at 1085 York Street, in Denver. The goal of the project is to commission artwork that enhances the bridge, an indoor transitional space that connects the Boettcher Memorial Center and the Freyer – Newman Center. In particular, the artwork should creatively celebrate the Gardens and its work, as well as invite and encourage visitors to enter the space and cross the bridge into the Freyer – Newman Center.
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REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS: Fire Station 40 Public Art Project
Public Art Project: Fire Station 40
Budget: Approximately $230,000.00 USD
Eligibility: Open to artists or artist teams residing in the United States
DEADLINE: Monday, January 20, 2025, 11:59 P.M. MST
Denver Public Art seeks to commission an artist or artist team to create original public artwork(s) for Fire Station 40 in Denver. An 11-member selection panel of community representatives, arts and design professionals and civic leaders has been assembled to identify art opportunities and to select and recommend an artist or artist team for this project.
- Artworks should ask the question “What does the next generation of firefighters look like?”
- Artwork should invite imagination and wonder to connect to neighborhood youth.
- Artwork should be colorful and have a nighttime presence.
- Artworks should be a connecting point between first responders and the community.
- The panel welcomes artists to apply who have lived experience with firefighting or have worked meaningfully with fire communities and their families.
- The panel also strongly encourages artists who have a connection to the Montbello and Green Valley Ranch neighborhoods to apply.
Apply to be a part of a Denver Public Art Selection Panel
Have you ever looked at the Big Blue Bear or the blue Mustang at the airport and wondered, “Who decided to put that there?” Answer: a selection panel made up of community members just like you!
The Public Art Program is seeking interested community members, artists, and arts professionals who live or work in Denver to be involved in this exciting process*.
Each Selection Panel is comprised of a minimum of eight voting members with additional members added depending on the scope of the project. It is the role of the voting panelists to make decisions as a group concerning the final selection of the artist or artist team.
Denver Arts & Venues is committed to equity, diversity, and inclusion in all our programs, initiatives, and processes. For this reason, we request demographic information as it is important that we ensure a diversity of voices are represented in our programs and decision-making committees. We value your time and offer an honorarium to our participants (excluding City employees and representatives from the Commission on Cultural Affairs). Thank you for sharing information about yourself.
*Participation in this survey does not guarantee you will be asked to serve on a selection panel.
Submit an ApplicationResources
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Sample Artist Contract
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Sample Insurance Documents
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Sample Art Budget
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Prevailing Wage Overview
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Copyright Information
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Helpful Websites for Artists
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Funding Sources for Individual Artists
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Presentation - Public Art 101: Applying for a Commission
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Presentation - Public Art 201: Creating a Winning Proposal
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Presentation - Public Art 301: After the Commission is Granted
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Public Art Program Guidelines for City Managers
APPLY FOR COMMISSIONS
If you are an artist seeking a commission to create a piece of public art in Denver, we want to hear from you. Please email publicart@denvergov.org for information on program guidelines, selection processes and deaccession and relocation guidelines. If you would like to apply for a commission, create an account on CafE (Call for Entry).
PUBLIC ART PROGRAM GUIDELINES FOR CITY MANAGERS
Denver Arts & Venues oversees the Public Art program and guides all activities. The guidelines below are intended to clarify public art procedures and answer questions Capital Improvement Project Managers and other City employees may have regarding the program. Contact publicart@denvergov.org.