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.
The Denver Public Art Team will be hosting a virtual pre-application meeting on Tuesday, April 29, 2025 at 5:30 p.m. The meeting will cover project backgrounds, goals, and the application process for this Request for Qualifications: Verbena Park Playground. Attendees will also get information on CallForEntry.org (CafE) through which we are accepting applications. Please register to attend to learn more about the application process, ask questions and determine if you’d like to apply for this project. If you cannot attend, a recording will be available on the Denver Arts & Venues Vimeo channel.
Public Art Opportunities
REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS: Verbena Park
Public Art Project: Verbena Park
Budget: Approximately $54,500.00 USD
Eligibility: Open to artists or artist teams residing in the United States
Deadline: Monday, May 12, 2025, 11:59 pm MST
The selection panel members have set forth specific goals and parameters for this public art project with the hope of creating unique and inspiring works of art for the communities that use Verbena Park.
Goals:
- Artworks should reflect positivity, the park’s family-friendly culture and use as a gathering space, along with the neighborhood’s rich, international history.
- The panel hopes to see artwork(s) that are culturally relevant and speak to critical conversations of the moment with respect to equity, access, and inclusion.
- Artists are encouraged to consider experiential, interactive, or functional elements for the artwork(s), and specifically encouraged to consider shade and seating.
- The panel welcomes applicants who exemplify the collaborative spirit of the public art process, and are open to working with community stakeholders, the selection panel, and city staff.
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.