Adams County Visual Arts Commission Seeks Proposals

The recently-created Adams County Visual Arts Commission is currently seeking proposals from professional artists for the first of several planned pieces of public art for the new Adams County Government Center.

Initial permanent art works, to be commissioned and selected in several phases, will be installed at various locations in the 330,000 square foot Adams County Government Center under construction at 124th Avenue and Sable Blvd. The Government Center will be completed in the spring of 2011.

The Adams County Board of Commissioners has designated one half of one percent of the Government Center’s total cost for public art. The current budget to commission several planned pieces of art is $740,000, with $464,000 coming from allocated building funds. Grants from the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District and private contributions through the Adams County Foundation will be sought to make up the difference.

The Adams County Board of Commissioners created the Visual Arts Commission earlier this year to recommend sculpture and other visual arts at the Government Center as well as other county facilities. The Commission is comprised of community members and Adams County staff. Bob Grant, Brighton, retired District Attorney and the county’s newly-appointed member of the metro Scientific and Cultural Facilities District Board, was named chair. Vice-chair is Wilbur Flachman, Westminster, who served as chairman of the Adams County Cultural Council for nine years.
"This is an exciting time for the arts community in Adams County,” said Grant. “With the support of the Board of County Commissioners and the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District, we will be placing impressive public art pieces at our new Government Center that will be a source of pride and reflection for all of our citizens. They will speak to the world at large of the depth of beauty that is Adams County."

In the initial phase, artists will be asked to submit concepts for art in two 30 x 60 ft. interior courtyards flanking the main entrance of the multi-million dollar complex. Artists working in any outdoor and three-dimensional medium are eligible to apply. Artists may submit a single work for consideration in either courtyard, an integrated multi-piece design intended for both courtyards or both. The due date for artist submittals for the first phase is February 15, 2010.

The Visual Arts Commission has contracted with Western States Art Federation (WESTAF) to assist with the proposal process. WESTAF is a Denver firm that utilizes its trademarked web-based Café program www.callforentry.org/index.php for gathering and presenting internet submissions by artists.

For additional information, contact Bob Grant at 303.659.7130.