Proposal deadline: February 25, 2026
Project Timeline
- February 25, 2026: RFQ deadline
- March 11, 2026: Finalist notification
- March 25, 2026: Finalist deadline to submit design concept(s)
- April 1, 2026: Artist selection notification
- May 2026: Installation, to be completed by May 29, 2026
Compensation
- Site A, 25´–0˝ x 64´–0˝ (South facing exterior wall): $40,000–48,000
- Site B, 25´–0˝ x 30´–0˝ and 24´–6˝ x 22´–6˝ (West facing exterior wall): $31,500–38,000
Final project budget will be based on selected design parameters.
Up to five (5) finalists selected through this Request for Qualifications (RFQ) will each be paid $400 to develop up to three (3) design concepts in response to the below design guidelines, which will be evaluated by the selection committee (see ‘Selection Process’ below).
After design review, two artists will be contracted and paid according to range listed above to execute their design as a mural. This payment is intended to compensate artist for all expenses associated with execution of the mural, including materials, equipment, and labor. Murals must be installed using paint.
Questions: In advance of the deadline, please contact michelle@downtowncs.com with questions about the project. Our team is happy to schedule a call to discuss project details, but we ask that meetings be scheduled before February 18.
How to Apply
Proposals will be accepted through callforentry.org
Eligibility
To be considered, artists must:
- Be a regional artist (local to Colorado preferred)
- Have experience designing and installing at least one public-facing mural
- Demonstrate a strong artistic portfolio with relevant experience
- Certify that submissions are their original creative work. Artwork submissions wholly or partly
generated by Generative AI technologies are not eligible for consideration. Tools or software that
do not autonomously generate creative content but assist in the manual creation process (e.g.,
digital brushes, color correction tools) are permitted
Application Checklist
- Artist contact information
- Artist website/portfolio link
- Statement of interest
- Artist resume
- Work samples
- Proposed budget
- Professional references
Selection Process
Successful submissions will demonstrate expertise in permanent, outdoor installations. Work samples will be evaluated for their placemaking impact, overall artistic merit, alignment with project goals, and representation of diverse viewpoints.
Final selection of proposals will be made by members of the Art on the Streets 2026 jury, Creative District staff, and a representative from Artspace.
Project Overview
Artspace Colorado Springs grew out of a grassroots effort led by the Colorado Springs Downtown Development Authority (DDA) to create a permanent home for the city’s creative community. Located in the Downtown COS Creative District, the project is designed to support artists and creative workers while strengthening the cultural vitality of the district as a whole. The five-story development is home to 51 units of affordable live/work housing and approximately 1,775 sq ft of commercial space, as well flexible outdoor spaces designed to accommodate creative uses.
The most important part of any urban place isn’t its buildings—it’s the people. Creative workers are crucial to Downtown’s character through their culture, community connections, work, and creativity. Their ideas and interactions drive economic growth, community development, cultural vibrancy, and social equity. Without them, Downtown is simply a collection of structures. Artspace facilitates these critical creative relationships, fostering community and innovation. Mural proposals should evoke this ethos.a
Downtown Overview & Site History
Downtown Colorado Springs
Colorado Springs is located at the foot of Pikes Peak (also known by its original Ute name, Tava Kahv, or Sun Mountain). The peak is nicknamed America’s Mountain, but it has held special significance for many diverse groups, from the area’s earliest Indigenous communities to today’s residents, visitors and outdoor adventurers from around the world.
1882 map of Colorado Springs
Downtown Colorado Springs is one of two state-certified Creative Districts in the Pikes Peak region (certification is administered by Colorado Creative Industries, a department of the state Office of Economic Development and International Trade). This certification recognizes the vital role of arts and culture in enhancing the economic and civic capital of communities, supporting workforce attraction and retention, and improving quality of life for visitors and residents. The Downtown Creative District strengthens a community identity rooted in arts, culture, innovation, wellness, and well-being.
Downtown is the artistic and historic heart of the city, home to regional cultural institutions and attractions, artist studios, historic buildings and parks, and creative workspaces. It is also home to the U.S. Olympic Committee, the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Museum.
Site History
315 E Costilla has had an interesting history prior to redevelopment by Artspace. The previous building used to be two separate spaces housing a tire station built in 1925 and a horse barn built before the turn of the century. In 1986, a real estate developer and investor began work to join these two historical buildings to create an 8,500 square foot office and retail space.
Pueblo Ave Neighborhood
Colorado Springs’ original city grid included two diagonal streets, Pueblo Ave and Cheyenne Ave, that ran through two historic parks and convened at the Antlers Hotel.
The Pueblo Ave neighborhood was important to the culture of the Black community of Colorado Springs, especially from 1884 through World War II. The Payne Chapel AME Church at 128 Pueblo Ave (built 1897) was a gathering place for the neighborhood. A 1984 article in the Colorado Springs Sun featured interviews on the history of the area with attendees of a Juneteenth celebration on the avenue. Black-owned businesses from the area’s history included the Blue Tea Room, a grocery store, a taxi service, the Red Dragon Restaurant (with a reputation for excellent chili), a roller skating rink, and a garage. One resident born in 1916 described the neighborhood as friendly and close-knit, with everyone on a first-name basis, and frequent social gathering at Payne Chapel.
Gay & Lesbian Fund for Colorado
The Gill Foundation is one of the nation’s largest funders of efforts to secure full equality for LGBTQ people. Started in 1994 by software entrepreneur Tim Gill (two years after passage of Colorado’s Amendment 2, which outlawed civil protections for LGBTQ+ people and led to Colorado becoming known as the “Hate State”), the Gill Foundation supports nonprofit organizations that advance the rights of LGBTQ Americans. Since its inception, the Gill Foundation has invested more than $459 million in programs and nonprofit organizations around the nation, substantially contributing to many of the country’s watershed victories for LGBTQ equality.
The Gill Foundation launched the Gay and Lesbian Fund for Colorado in 1996 (the same year Colorado Amendment 2 was stuck down as a violation of the 14th Amendment by the U.S. Supreme Court). The fund was headquartered in Colorado Springs at 315 E Costilla for 15 years. The fund’s philanthropy totaled $27.6 million over those years, granted to Colorado organizations working in four categories: civic participation, arts and culture, healthy families, and public broadcasting. Mary
Lou Makepeace, Colorado Springs’ first female mayor, served as executive director of the fund after leaving public office.
In 2011, the Gay and Lesbian Fund for Colorado offices transitioned to Denver.
Tim Gill Center for Public Media
In 2012, the Gill Foundation awarded Rocky Mountain PBS the facility, creating the Tim Gill Center for Public Media. The new center included collaboration with regional partners (Pikes Peak Library District, KRCC, UCCS, PPSC, and Rocky Mountain Community Radio) to create and distribute new citizen journalism that would tell stories that would otherwise go untold. The aim was to carry on the vision of Tim Gill and the Gill Foundation through these partnerships and by offering free use of the space to nonprofits, ensuring that it remained a place to convene, collaborate, and create positive change for the greater community.
315 E Costilla • Mural Sites
