Experiments in Public Art Open Call

The Office of Arts and Culture presents an ongoing series of temporary public interventions through the Experiments in Public Art program, which serves as a city-wide laboratory expanding the potential of public art. Unlike a traditional public art commission, Experiments in Public Art projects are as much an experiment for the community as they are opportunities for artists to work within unconventional parameters. Participating artists are selected, in part, by incorporating concepts and materials that extend beyond the notion of traditional public art.

When considering your concept, please articulate which of these goals are impacted by your project. Be sure to think through any sensitivities your project may create on specific communities. Multiple goals can be identified.

• Advance cultural equity by prioritizing access, inclusion, and representation in the public realm.
• Promote environmentally sustainable practices in public art creation, materials, and implementation.
• Strengthen community cohesion by activating underused spaces and connecting to neighborhood identity.
• Support resilience through creative responses to social, environmental, and economic challenges.
• Engage the community across the City of Boulder in enriching arts experiences.
• Showcase local and regional talent and cultivate the spirit of Boulder.
• Promote Boulder as a vibrant and authentic place to live, work, learn, and recreate.
• Support the creative community’s new, thought-provoking and innovative ideas.
• Foster collaboration between government, creatives, community members, neighborhoods, businesses, and non-profit organizations.
• Create a sense of place and spaces that promote play, innovation, and imaginative risk-taking.
• Honor the history, heritage, and identity of our community.

• Sept. 1, 2025 – applications open
• Sept. 28, 2025 – applications close
• Oct. 1-10, 2025 – eligibility review by Arts + Culture staff and feasibility review by Technical Review Committee
• Oct. 14, 2025 – approval by the Standing Selection Panel
• Oct. 29, 2025 - approval by the Boulder Arts Commission
• Nov. 2025 – projects receive full approval, and awards announced
• Dec. 2025 – contracting
• Jan. – Dec. 2026 – projects are implemented

All Experiments in Public Art projects must:

• Exist for a minimum of one weekend and no more than three months. Experiential projects (like performances, pop-ups, flash mobs, etc.) should have at least three occurrences over the course of no more than three months.
• Be in a free and publicly accessible or viewable space like a park, street, alley, or plaza within the City of Boulder. Multiple spaces can be used. Privately-owned storefront windows can be used, as long as they are fully on-view to the public.
• Adhere to all city policies, and neighborhood plans and adhere to ADA standards. See the resources section below for a list and links.
• Be conceptually clear and include specific details regarding implementation and permitting (e.g., insurance needs, precise location details, design qualifications, permitting process time needed etc. to the extent possible). Applicants will receive additional guidance from the technical review committee to facilitate these details. Applicants should be proactive and attempt to pre-emptively plan for the above details.
• Include one event where the artist or artist team speaks publicly about their project. This could be a lecture, opening, party, or other “question and answer” time.
• Submit media (images, movies, audio clips etc.), answer a three-question form about the impact of the project, and attend an informal interview with staff at the conclusion of the project.

To be eligible for these funds, the lead applicant must identify as one or more of the following and the project must be experienced at a space within Boulder city limits.

• Lead applicant (artist or artist team) resides in the state of Colorado and must meet these general eligibility criteria.
• If the lead applicant resides outside Boulder, they must partner with one or more of the following, in Boulder, and provide a letter of support from the partner organization:
  • An artist or artist-team based in Boulder
  • Neighborhood-based group or association
  • Special district (business improvement, creative, library, maintenance, fire, water)
  • Boulder-based organization, business, or individual (non-profit and for profit)

Experiments in Public Art funding may be used to cover expenses directly related to the project, such as:

• Professional consultant time and labor (project manager, administrative support, volunteer coordinator, community organizer, designer, engineer, artist, translator/interpreter, etc.)
• Permits (parks, construction, etc.)
• Insurance (see Insurance & Liability Coverage below)
• Art supplies and materials (paint, printing, etc.)
• Equipment rental (audio/visual, tents, tables, etc.)
• Landscaping (soil, shrubs, plants, mulch, rocks, logs, etc.)
• Installation / De-installation/ Maintenance
• Contingency

When contemplating your proposal to Experiments in Public Art, there are many considerations to think about that are unique to working in public space. Some ideas may require additional permitting, design, engineering, approvals, or other considerations. The review committee can help through these implementation and planning needs, but applicants should do as much pre-planning as possible to ensure the feasibility of the project.

• Due to the sensitivity of some areas, proposals for certain sites may require additional review (right-of-way, parks, etc.).
• Parking space/parklet projects may be challenging due to street cleaning occurring April through November.
• Street painting projects proposed for functional streets may require a thorough review process with the city’s Transportation Department (specific location, paint type, color type, street closures, etc.).
• Waste disposal for projects that generate rubbish or use materials that leave a residue on a city surface.
• Projects in alleys will need to ensure adequate space for trash, compost and recycling pickup.
• Due to time required and difficulty in coordination, proposals involving utilities and rail lines are not recommended.
• Any proposal at an intersection will have to be mindful of sightlines and not blocking clear visibility for pedestrians and vehicles.
• Any structures located in a park may require full-plan review to ensure proper site restoration with seed/sod and irrigation, and to ensure no impacts to tree roots and turf.
• Applicants are responsible for any maintenance required during the project’s display.
• Consider what happens at the end of the project. How will the project be de-installed? Will it be adopted by your group or some other organization? Who will maintain the project?
• Safety first; be sure your projects are designed well and are structurally sound for the duration of display.

Finding a suitable public space is a major consideration for your project. The following list of resources may help connect you to folks who have an appropriate under-utilized space. Conversely, if you have identified a space that would benefit from activation, this list may help you to connect to organizations who understand the needs of the community and have ideas for how to activate your space.

Maps

• Boulder City Parks
• Map of designated neighborhoods
• Historic Landmarks

Neighborhood Associations

• Goss Grove Neighborhood Association (GGNA)
• Martin Acres Neighborhood Association
• Ponderosa Neighborhood Association
• Mapleton Neighborhood Association
• University Hill Neighborhood Association

Special Districts

• Downtown Boulder Partnership
• Boulder Library District
• North Boulder Arts District

See a list of past Experiments in Public Art projects.

The following examples are hypothetical projects to be used as a starting place when considering your own project.

What to do:

• Collaborate with a local performance collective and youth group to stage an improvised movement piece on Pearl Street that responds to live sound from the street.
• Design a mobile art lab with interactive, artist-led workshops and experimental materials, traveling to different parks throughout the summer.
• Create large-scale video projections or live-streamed performance works on building facades every Friday night in June and July, featuring collaborations with local artists.
• Develop an interactive sound installation using recorded stories from Boulder community members, remixing them into an evolving audio collage presented at the Farmers Market.

What not to do:

• Build a new picnic structure in Elks Park – this will require an extensive permitting process.
• Paint the street red – this idea interferes with several city transportation policies.
• Produce a paid, ticketed music festival – this is not a free and publicly available event.

• If your project doesn’t seem to fit into this program, please see the grant programs offered by the Office of Arts and Culture.

To determine what type of insurance is required, applicants will need to provide answers to these questions:

• What is the scope of work? (medium, materials, weight, size)
• How many people are part of the process from inception to completion?
• Are these people employees or all sole proprietors (working as contractors)?
• Is specialized/certified knowledge required of the project such as engineering studies or architectural renderings?
• How will it be installed; where will it be installed; who will be installing it?
• Will the public have access to the space during the installation?
• What, if any, special equipment is necessary to install and who will be handling the equipment?

The following insurance MAY be required, depending on the scope of work. Our team will help you navigate this process:

• Business Auto Liability - Coverage for liability (negligence) claims by a third party related to the operation of an automobile. Auto insurance is required of all contractors who will be operating a vehicle as part of their contractual duties for the city. The standard limit required is $1,000,000. Contractors who use their personal vehicles can substitute their personal auto insurance for the business auto requirement. It is important to notify the city if this rule applies to you.
• General Liability - Coverage for liability (negligence) claims by a third party related to bodily injury (injury to another person) or property damage (damage to another person’s property). Limits will vary depending on the scope of work. Minimum limit is generally $1,000,000.
• Professional Liability - Coverage for claims related to a "professional’s" error in judgment, planning or design. Examples of work requiring professional liability are architectural designs and engineering studies. NOTE: if a third party is hired to do such work, that third party is allowed to carry the insurance.
• Workers’ Compensation - State mandated coverage for employees injured on the job. Colorado Workers’ Compensation law requires any business with one or more employees to carry this type of insurance. Sole Proprietors (those with no employees) are not required to carry Workers’ Compensation. It is important to notify the city if this rule applies to you.

IMPORTANT: Your contract with the city includes indemnification. You are responsible for any claims that arise out of your work with the city. Even if insurance is waived, it is in your best interest to determine any exposures/risks and potentially purchase insurance to cover that exposure/risk.

• Americans with Disabilities Act
• Boulder Digital Accessibility Standards
• Design and Construction Standards
• Transportation – right of way
• Special Event Permit
• Special Event Planning Guide
• Temporary Art in Parks Permit
• Paint the Pavement Permit
• Block Party Permit

Submissions will be reviewed by designated staff members of the City of Boulder including representatives from Special Events, Parks & Rec, Risk, Community Engagement and the Office of Equity & Belonging. This group will work with and offer guidance to all project partners on how to navigate city processes throughout the implementation of the selected projects. Final awards will be determined by the Standing Public Art Selection Panel and approved by the Boulder Arts Commission.

• Creativity and Artistic Merit (5 Points): Proposals should be unique, innovative, well-defined, original, visually compelling, and draw on community resources and talent.
• Planning and Feasibility (5 Points): Proposals should demonstrate the feasibility of the project in terms of timeline, permitting, public accessibility, budget and available resources. Clarity around project requirements is imperative with the understanding that the program review panel can help to navigate those requirements. Proposals should also clearly explain how the project will be safely installed, maintained and removed.
• Goals and Diversity (5 Points): Proposals should clearly define how the project will accomplish the goals of this program. Proposals should also explain the diversity of the community and its people, artistic practices represented, and the geographic reach of the project.
• Partnerships and Community Benefit (5 Points): Proposals should demonstrate how the partnership(s) reinforce the accomplishment of program goals.

To support the mutual understanding of the Experiments in Public Art Program and the needs of the community, the Office of Arts & Culture will host two question and answer sessions in September 2025. Staff will be available during this time to provide answers to your questions. The questions and answers will be posted on the website after each session for easy reference. Please RSVP.

Session 1: Wednesday, Sept. 10 from 6 to 7 p.m.

Session 2: Tuesday, Sept. 23 from 6 to 7 p.m.

Questions about this program can be directed to Rachel Cain at cainr1@bouldercolorado.gov.