REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS

Public Art Project: Denver Performing Arts Complex

Budget: Approximately $900,000 US

Eligibility: Artists or Artist Teams residing in the United States and internationally

DEADLINE: Monday, April 13, 11:59 PM MST

Introduction  

Denver Public Art seeks to commission an artist or artist team to create original public artwork for the Denver Performing Arts Complex at 1400 Curtis Street, Denver, CO. The commission will activate the glass-enclosed galleria, an iconic space designed in 1977 by architects George Hoover and Karl Berg of Muchow Associates and inspired by Milan’s 19th-century Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II.

The galleria’s glass roof rises approximately 80 feet (24 meters) and extends nearly 1,000 feet (308 meters). The artwork must engage the space both day and night, with sculptural elements and lighting active throughout the galleria; any light-based elements must include multiple activation phases—such as programmed sequences, timed transitions, or shifting states—to create an evolving experience over time. The selection panel hopes the artwork will celebrate the spirit of Denver’s performing arts and invites artists to create something unexpected and dynamic for the complex’s guests and visitors. The selected artist or team must complete and install the artwork by the end of 2027.

Denver Public Art is hosting a virtual pre-application meeting for interested applicants on Thursday, March 26, at 5:30 p.m. The meeting will cover the project background and goals, as well as the application process for this Request for Qualifications (RFQ). Attendees will also receive information on CallForEntry.org, where artists may apply. This event will be hosted on Microsoft Teams. Interested applicants are asked to register to learn how to join the event before it begins. If you cannot attend, a recording will be available on the Denver Arts & Venues YouTube channel. 

Land Acknowledgement 

We acknowledge that the land Denver’s Public Art Collection occupies – – land where we stand, live, work, and learn — is the traditional territory of the Ute, Cheyenne, and Arapaho Peoples. We also recognize the 48 contemporary tribal nations that are historically tied to the lands that make up Colorado. Our nation was founded upon and continues to enact exclusions and erasures of Indigenous Peoples. May this acknowledgement demonstrate a commitment to dismantling ongoing legacies of oppression and inequities as we intentionally honor and celebrate the Indigenous communities in our city and express our gratitude for their ongoing and significant contributions. Let’s not forget that this land was theirs long before we made it ours. 

Denver Performing Arts Complex 

The Denver Performing Arts Complex, or “Arts Complex,” is one of the largest performing arts centers in the United States and ranks among the top three nationwide by seat capacity, patronage, and ticket sales, alongside Lincoln Center (New York City) and the Kennedy Center (Washington, DC). Spanning four blocks and approximately 12 acres, it includes ten performance venues with more than 10,000 seats, along with public open spaces. 

The campus is home to Colorado Ballet, Colorado Symphony, Denver Center for the Performing Arts, and Opera Colorado, and also hosts a wide range of touring and local programming, including Broadway, opera, dance, comedy, concerts, festivals, conferences, film, and public events. 

Major venues include the Ellie Caulkins Opera House, the Buell Theatre, the Boettcher Concert Hall, the Helen Bonfils Theatre Complex, the Garner Galleria Theatre, and the Studio Loft. Denver Arts & Venues owns and operates the Ellie Caulkins Opera House, Buell Theatre, Boettcher Concert Hall, and Studio Loft, while the Denver Center for the Performing Arts operates the Helen Bonfils Theatre Complex and Garner Galleria Theatre. 

Beyond performance spaces, the campus includes rehearsal and event spaces, an art gallery, restaurants, a parking garage, and offices, and is anchored by Sculpture Park, home to Jonathan Borofsky’s iconic Dancers. 

History of Denver Performing Arts Complex 

Conceived by Donald Seawell, the Denver Performing Arts Complex was built around the historic Municipal Auditorium (1908), with the first new venues opening in 1978. Early attention focused on its landmark architecture, including the 80-foot glass galleria, the nation’s first in-the-round concert hall, and the Bonfils Theatre Complex’s glass façade. Since the 1970s, the complex has undergone multiple renovations and has hosted major productions, including The Phantom of the Opera, The Lion King, The Laramie Project, Black Elk Speaks, Frozen, The Book of Mormon, and Hamilton, reinforcing its role as a leading cultural hub for Denver, Colorado, and the Rocky Mountain region. 

Surrounding Area 

The Arts Complex is in Downtown Denver in the Central Business District. Near the complex are major landmarks such as the Auraria Campus – which includes the University of Colorado Denver (CU Denver), Community College of Denver (CCD), and Metropolitan State University of Denver (MSU Denver) — as well as the Colorado Convention Center, 16th Street, Denver Union Station, and Civic Center Park. The new artwork will be visible from 14th Street, a major thoroughfare that connects the Arts Complex and Convention Center to Civic Center Park and the Denver Art Museum.  

Goals and Site 

The selection panel seeks suspended sculptural artworks that are active both day and night and that span and activate the steel-and-glass-enclosed Galleria at the Denver Performing Arts Complex. The artwork should celebrate Denver’s performing arts and introduce an unexpected presence that is dynamic and compelling both day and night. 

• Welcome and inclusion: The artwork should feel inviting and accessible to a broad range of audiences and communities.
• Enhance the Arts Complex experience: The work should enrich the arrival, circulation, and gathering experience for both ticketed patrons and daily users, extending the energy of performances into shared public space through light, motion, and/or atmosphere.
• Strong day and night presence: The artwork should read as a sculptural work in daylight and shift after dark through illumination, remaining legible and engaging throughout the day and evening.
• Rooted in Denver: Artists are encouraged to respond to Denver’s character and the downtown arts ecosystem, considering how the Arts Complex connects to the city’s cultural life and the surrounding public realm.
• Completion deadline: The artwork must be fully installed and operational by the end of 2027.

Media & Materials

The selection panel is open to artwork in all media and materials suitable for outdoor display. Durability and ease of maintenance are important for the site.  

Maintenance & Durability  

This artwork will become a permanent addition to the Denver Public Art collection. All applicants must consider the long-term conservation and maintenance of public art, given time and budget constraints. These projects are in the public realm and will be exposed to physical stresses and subject to vandalism. Public art projects should be fabricated of highly durable, low-maintenance materials. Finalists are encouraged to consult with a professional conservator before submitting a final proposal. Artist proposals that are awarded contracts will be reviewed by the City of Denver’s Public Art Committee to ensure compliance with city standards for maintenance and durability, as well as Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards. All finalists are expected to stay on budget and to complete work in an approved timeframe. 

Who May Apply 

This project is open to artists residing in the United States and internationally. Denver Arts & Venues is committed to building a public art collection that represents a broad diversity of artists and encourages applicants from historically marginalized and underrepresented communities, including artists who identify as Black, Indigenous, Latino/x, People of Color (BILPOC), people with disabilities, and members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, intersexual, asexual, Two-Spirit+ (LGBTQIA2S+) communities. Denver Arts & Venues also encourages applicants at various stages in their careers and applicants to practice a variety of artistic disciplines. 

Can a team apply?
Applicants may apply as a single artist or a multi-person collaborative group. If applying as a team, please submit one résumé for the team, with no more than one page per team member. 

Apply Now

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[1] City and County of Denver. (2014, December 1). Globeville Neighborhood Plan. City and County of Denver. Retrieved July 28, 2022, from www.denvergov.org/content/dam/denvergov/Portals/646/documents/planning/Plans/Globeville_Neighborhood_Plan.pdf