Valmont Rain Garden Public Art
The City of Boulder Stormwater Quality Program is looking to engage the public at stormwater control measures (SCMs) and increase awareness of stormwater and its impact on water quality.
El Programa de Calidad de Aguas Pluviales de la Ciudad de Boulder busca involucrar al público en las medidas de control de aguas pluviales y aumentar la conciencia sobre las aguas pluviales y su impacto en la calidad del agua. El Departamento de Servicios Públicos de la Ciudad de Boulder y el Programa de Arte Público de la Oficina de Arte y Cultura invitan a los artistas de Colorado a postularse para esta oportunidad de arte público en el jardín de lluvia Valmont Park, propiedad de la ciudad. El requisito principal para las instalaciones es que deben llamar la atención sobre la función de un jardín de lluvia. Se seleccionó un jardín de lluvia como sitio para este proyecto de arte público debido a los beneficios que brindan a la salud humana y al medio ambiente. Un presupuesto total del proyecto de $18,750 está disponible para esta oportunidad. Más servicios de traducción y soporte de aplicaciones disponibles enviando poniéndose en contacto con publicart@bouldercolorado.gov.
About Stormwater & Rain Gardens
Stormwater pollution occurs when rain or snow melt flows over streets and picks up trash, oil, dirt, chemicals, and other pollutants from our neighborhoods and communities as it travels. These pollutants are then carried through the storm drainage system, which drains directly into our local creeks and streams untreated. The city builds stormwater control measures (SCMs), including rain gardens, to manage and filter stormwater from parking lots and other areas before it reaches local streams. Rain gardens are shallow, sunken areas with plantings and special filtering soil that are selected to help filter out pollutants and create natural habitats for wildlife and beneficial insects. Rain gardens are at their visual peak and performance from June through November. To learn more, visit https://bouldercolorado.gov/stormwater-resources-property-owners.
Anatomy of a Rain Garden
The image above shows all the standard components of a rain garden and associated routine maintenance activities, which include: inflow/intake, plantings used to filter the inflow/intake, additional rock filtration, and an outlet.
Public Art: Parameters & Goals
The selection panel identified specific goals for this public art with the hope of creating an original unique work of art that complements the above-mentioned areas:
- The City of Boulder Utilities Department and Office of Arts and Culture Public Art Program invite Colorado-based artists to apply for this public art opportunity at the city-owned Valmont Park rain garden.
- Bring attention to the stormwater system: storm drains, SCMs, and their role in protecting water quality
- Connect SCMs to water quality and other topics the public values – recreation, wildlife, environmental and human health, water
- Create a sense of place by connecting people to these features and the surrounding environment
- Help people connect to the environment/watershed/stormwater through art
- Allow the Stormwater Program to engage more directly with the public
- Educate passersby and connect them to ways they can curb their own pollution of stormwater
- Unique and original in that this artwork is created directly in response to the site and functionality of the rain garden
Appropriate & Unique
The selection panel seeks a unique, one-of-a-kind artwork.
Locations
The proposed location for an art installation is at a city-owned rain garden at Valmont Park. This is a link to a dropped pin on Google Maps: https://www.google.com/maps/place/40%C2%B001’46.6%22N+105%C2%B013’50.8%22W/@40.0296155,-105.2313283,132m/data=!3m2!1e3!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x0:0x6ec1e3bd75f59a51!8m2!3d40.0296145!4d-105.2307811.
Budget
The budget for this commission is approximately $18,750 USD which will be allocated to the artists/team selected by the selection panel.
Tentative Timeline
Anticipated significant project milestones include:
- October 25: Deadline for entry (via CAFÉ system)
- Dec 1: Semi-Finalist Selection
- Mid-Dec: Notify Sem-Finalists
- Mid Dec-April: Proposal Development, Site Visit
- April-June: Semi-Finalists present Proposals, Community Engagement
- Mid June: Staff presents to Boulder Arts Commission for approval, followed by CMO approval and contract draft
- Contracting (2-3 months)
- Design (2 – 5 months)
- Fabrication (3-8 months)
- Install Spring 2024
Project Selection Panel
The Valmont Park Rain Garden Educational Art Installation Selection Panel is comprised of 5 voting members. The Technical Review Committee is comprised of additional non-voting advisors from various city departments and county advisors including Parks and Recreation, Utilities, Planning and Development Services.
Selection Process
Between three to five artists/artist teams will be selected as semi-finalists and will receive a $250 honorarium to develop a proposal for further consideration. Semi-finalists will receive more specific information regarding the site and have the opportunity to meet with the Selection Panel and Technical Review Committee during a site visit. Additionally, community engagement is a vital component in Boulder’s decision-making process. Semi-finalists should be prepared to present or have their proposals presented to the public in some fashion during the decision-making process. The final recommendation of the Selection Panel will be presented to the Boulder Arts Commission and the City Manager for final approval.
Survey
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