Lions Park Nature Play Public Art Project

Overview

The City of Golden is seeking an artist or artist team to create an original, site-specific public artwork for the Lions Park Update Project. The selected artwork will be integrated into the park's outdoor classroom and native garden area, intended to cultivate exploration, quiet discovery, and connection with the natural environment. The City is seeking artwork that becomes an intentional part of the landscape and visitor experience, blurring the line between public art, landscape, and play.

Project Goals

The artwork should support the project's nature play theme and encourage interaction, participation, curiosity, and learning. Artists are encouraged to incorporate educational or interpretive elements related to local ecology, water, wildlife, native plants, water conservation, or environmental stewardship. Proposals that engage children and families through touch, movement, sensory exploration, or open-ended play and discovery are strongly encouraged. The work should create welcoming experiences for individuals with diverse abilities and sensory needs, incorporating sensory-rich yet calming experiences such as natural textures, tactile elements, quiet spaces for reflection, or opportunities for grounding and gentle engagement with the environment.

Eligibility

This opportunity is open to professional artists and artist teams based in Colorado or neighboring states (Utah, New Mexico, Wyoming, Nebraska, Kansas, and Oklahoma) with experience in public art, landscape-integrated artwork, environmental art, play-based design, experiential installations, or related disciplines. Emerging artists are encouraged to apply; however, applicants should demonstrate the ability to successfully complete projects of a similar scale and complexity.

Application Requirements

• Project Proposal (maximum 2000 characters) describing preliminary vision, including how the proposed approach addresses project goals of nature play, landscape integration, accessibility, learning, and environmental stewardship
• Up-to-date Curriculum Vitae (CV) or résumé highlighting relevant professional experience, public art commissions, exhibitions, and qualifications
• Three (3) images of completed artworks demonstrating artistic practice and ability to successfully complete a project of similar scale or complexity

Submission Requirements

• 3–5 images
• Up to 2 videos
• Total: 3–7 files
• Submission limit: 1

Key Dates

• Submission deadline: August 9, 2026

Contact

• Email: awilliams@cityofgolden.gov
• Phone: 303-277-8719