Summary:
The City of Fort Collins Art in Public Places (APP) Program is requesting designs from artists aged 3 to 18 years old. The drawings will be sandblasted into 16" × 16" granite pavers and incorporated into the City’s streetscape. Drawings should reflect a theme relating to celebrating the 150th anniversary of Colorado or the 250th anniversary of the country. The Selection Committee will select multiple artists for this project.
Project:
The City’s Streets and Engineering Departments work to provide safe pedestrian access by creating new pedestrian routes as well as improving existing areas. The City requests black and white line drawings, either representational or abstract concepts with themes celebrating: the 150th anniversary of Colorado’s statehood or the 250th anniversary of United States Declaration of Independence. The selected designs will be sandblasted into 16" × 16" granite pavers and placed in various sidewalks throughout Fort Collins. The artwork will be a signature piece in the city and be highly visible to the public.
Eligibility:
Artwork will be accepted from youth, aged 3 to 18 years old. The artists are required to reside and/or attend a school within the City of Fort Collins Growth Management Area. A map of the Growth Management Area can be found at this link. Entries will be reviewed in three age categories: 3–8, 9–12, and 13–18. Each artist may submit only one drawing.
Budget:
Artists whose designs have been selected by the committee will be awarded $50. Up to 15 designs will be selected.
Selection Process:
The selection committee may consist of the Art & Culture Board, representatives from the City’s Project Team and City Purchasing Department. The committee will review submissions and either recommend finalists or make a final selection. The selection committee reserves the right to reject any entry at any time in the review and selection process. All designs selected become the property of the City of Fort Collins. Selected artists will be required to sign an agreement with the City and provide a W-9 for honorarium payment.
Selection Criteria:
Selection is based on suitability of the design, including form, content, scale, and clarity. The design should be picture-based, not word-based. Designs that include logos; copyrighted or trademarked images; advertisements; or political, commercial, religious, or sexual symbols, themes, or messages will not be accepted.
Submission Information:
Proposals must be received before 5:00 p.m. (our clock), October 26, 2026
Final Selection November 2026
Please mail form with ONE drawing to:
APP 2026 PEDESTRIAN PAVER PROJECT
City of Fort Collins Purchasing Division
P.O. Box 580
Fort Collins, CO 80522
Or email form with ONE drawing to:
purchasing@fortcollins.gov
Type "2026 Pedestrian Paver Project" in the subject line. Request an acknowledgement email.
Or form with ONE drawing may be hand-delivered Tues–Sat, between 12 PM and 6 PM to:
2026 PEDESTRIAN PAVER PROJECT
The Lincoln Center Box Office
Attn: Art in Public Places
417 W. Magnolia St.
Fort Collins, CO 80521
(The Box Office is inside the main entrance at the corner of Magnolia and Meldrum Streets.)
All drawings will become the property of the City of Fort Collins and cannot be returned.
Application Materials to be Submitted:
Please complete the Pedestrian-Paver-Artist-Form.pdf(PDF, 91KB) with the following information:
- Design: ONE black and white THICK, BOLD, CLEAR line drawing (no shading) completed on the attached form. Fine, intricate details cannot be duplicated in a sandblasted paver and we reserve the right to edit images for clarity.
- Written explanation: A description of your design.
- Contact information.
Questions:
Questions concerning the scope of the project should be directed to Ellen Martin at (970) 416-2789.
Notice:
All proposals submitted must meet all applicable City codes and Charter requirements. The City of Fort Collins reserves the right to reject all proposals and to waive irregularities or informalities.
Sincerely,
Jake Rector
Interim Purchasing Director