Artist Call:
Poudre River Mural Project
Application Deadline: June 12 at 11:59 PM
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The mural should reflect the river's ecological richness, possibly incorporating some of the imagery that honors the species that depend on the Poudre. Beyond wildlife, the mural should speak to the river's role in sustaining the communities of Northern Colorado. The Poudre has long supported agriculture, drinking water, and the cultural heritage of the area. We encourage artists to weave this relationship between human and natural systems into their vision.
The river is Northern Colorado's shared lifeline; it doesn't belong to just one town or city but sustains us all. By making this connection visible in Old Town, we want to remind residents of their place within a larger ecological and cultural community that extends throughout the watershed. The Cache la Poudre River, located just 10 minutes from the Bas Bleu Theater, often remains underrepresented in Fort Collins' built environment despite being central to the city's history, ecology, and quality of life.
Artists are encouraged to bring their own perspective and creative voice to this theme, whether through realism, abstraction, or somewhere in between.
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Artists should have prior experience creating large-scale murals. Artists should have prior experience creating large-scale murals and live within or have a strong connection to the Poudre River Watershed: Fort Collins, Greeley, Windsor, Severance, Timnath, Bellvue, Laporte, Red Feather Lakes. The selected artist(s) will be asked to develop two original mural concepts (mock-ups), which will be shared with the public for a community vote. The winning design will then be painted on the approved, non-historic portions of this historic landmark building. It is essential that the mural remain within the designated mural areas.
To help inspire the final artwork and build community connection, CPRW will gather river-themed affirmations from attendees at Poudre RiverFest, held at New Belgium Brewing and attended by more than 3,000 people each year. The selected artist will incorporate these affirmations into a doodle-grid, which will also be photographed for documentation and sharing purposes. These community contributions are intended to help shape the tone and spirit of the mural while creating excitement and engagement around the project.
Artists are not expected to include the written affirmations within the final mural composition. Instead, the doodle-grid is meant to serve as an impermanent community activation — a way to up-scale your mock-up and energize the work while honoring the voices and experiences of the community connected to the river.
The artist will be responsible for managing their time and workspace and completing the mural within the scheduled installation period of September 13–27. The project timeline includes up to three rounds of revisions. The selected artist will also be invited to attend the First Friday unveiling event on the evening of October 2.
This will be the 3rd mural in a series honoring the Poudre River and the Poudre River Watershed. Check out the previous two projects here: https://www.poudrewatershed.org/poudre-river-mural
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The selected artist will receive $30 per square foot($14,761.80) for the completed mural. This project budget is intended to cover all aspects of the work, priming (as determined appropriate by the artist), installation, and materials/supplies.
A $500 design fee will be awarded to include concept development of two mock-ups.
An initial payment of 25% of the total project budget will be issued once the contract has been signed and returned along with all corresponding paperwork. This is not an additional payment, but an advance portion of the total project budget to support early project costs.
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Call for Artists: 5/20 - 6/12 @ 11:59 pm
Submission review period: 6/13 - 6/28
Selection Committee Review: 6/29
Notification of Selection: 6/30
Artist Confirmation of Participation due 7/7
Artist develops two design concepts: July- August 3rd
Mural Installation: Sunday, September 13th - 27th
Mural Unveiling (mandatory attendance): Friday, October 2nd
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Thank you for your interest in the Poudre River Mural Project.
Please read the application carefully and reach out if you have any questions: Jess she/they | FCMP@fcmuralproject.org
Project Overview
The Poudre River Mural Project is seeking an experienced mural artist or artist team to create the third mural in an ongoing public art series honoring the Cache la Poudre River and the greater Poudre River Watershed.
Located in the heart of Old Town Fort Collins on the historic Bas Bleu Theatre Company building, this mural aims to celebrate the ecological, cultural, and community significance of the Poudre River; Northern Colorado’s shared lifeline.
While the river sits just minutes from downtown, it often remains underrepresented in Fort Collins’ built environment despite being central to the region’s history, ecology, agriculture, drinking water, recreation, and identity. This project seeks to make that connection more visible through public art.
Artists are encouraged to bring their own creative voice and interpretation to the theme, whether through realism, abstraction, or somewhere in between.
To view the first two murals in the series, visit:
Mural Theme
The mural should reflect the ecological richness of the Poudre River and the many species that depend on it. Beyond wildlife, the artwork should speak to the river’s role in sustaining Northern Colorado communities through agriculture, drinking water, culture, and shared stewardship.
The selected mural will help illustrate the interconnected relationship between human and natural systems throughout the watershed. By placing this work prominently within Old Town, the project hopes to remind viewers that they are part of a larger ecological and cultural community connected by water.
Artists are encouraged to bring their own perspective and creative voice to this theme, whether through realism, abstraction, or somewhere in between.
Meet the Project Partners
Coalition for the Poudre River Watershed
The Coalition for the Poudre River Watershed (CPRW) is a community-based watershed organization that convenes stakeholders around emerging water and forest issues, coordinates restoration and stewardship projects, educates residents, and promotes long-term care for the Cache la Poudre River Watershed for current and future generations.
Bas Bleu Theatre Company
Located in Fort Collins’ River District, Bas Bleu Theatre Company presents intimate and thought-provoking artistic experiences that inspire both audiences and artists alike. The mural site is part of the historic Giddings Building, formerly home to the Western Steel headgate manufacturing facility and now recognized as a Fort Collins Designated Historic Landmark.
Over the years, Bas Bleu has hosted more than 2,000 events and performances, supported thousands of artists and volunteers, and fostered meaningful artistic expression and community dialogue within Northern Colorado.
FC Mural Project
FC Mural Project (FCMP) will serve as the project manager for this initiative, overseeing mural execution, administering contracts, and supporting the selected artist(s) throughout the duration of the project process.
Windows (4 total)
Furthest South to North:
44" × 93" (x2) = 56.8 sq ft
44" × 106" (x2) = 65 sq ft
Garage Doors (3 total)
Furthest South to North:
139" × 123" = 118.73 sq ft
149" × 152" = 157.28 sq ft
115" × 118" = 94.25 sq ft
Artist Expectations
Artists should have prior experience creating large-scale murals and live within or have a strong connection to the Poudre River Watershed: Fort Collins, Greeley, Windsor, Severance, Timnath, Bellvue, Laporte, Red Feather Lakes.
The selected artist(s) will be asked to develop two original mural concepts (mock-ups), which will be presented to the public for a community vote. The selected concept will then be painted on the approved, non-historic portions of this historic landmark building. It is essential that the mural remain within the designated mural areas.
To help inspire the artwork and strengthen community connection, the Coalition for the Poudre River Watershed (CPRW) will collect river-themed affirmations from attendees at Poudre RiverFest, hosted at New Belgium Brewing and attended by more than 3,000 people annually. The selected artist will incorporate these affirmations into a temporary doodle-grid installation, which will be photographed for documentation and community sharing purposes.
Artists are not expected to include the written affirmations directly within the final mural composition. Instead, the doodle-grid is intended to serve as an impermanent community activation — a way to scale up and energize the mock-up process while honoring the voices and experiences of the community connected to the river.
The selected artist will be responsible for managing their time and workspace and completing the mural during the scheduled installation period of September 13–27. The project timeline includes up to three rounds of revisions. The selected artist will also be expected to attend the mural unveiling celebration during First Friday on the evening of October 2.
Please note:
If selected, artists will be asked to create two mock-ups as part of the paid design phase. Do not submit a mock-up with your application. Artists deserve to be compensated before creating project-specific designs.
Payment
The selected artist will receive $30 per square foot ($14,761.80) for the completed mural. This project budget is intended to cover all aspects of the work, priming (as determined appropriate by the artist), installation, and materials/supplies.
A $500 design fee will be awarded to include concept development of two mock-ups.
An initial payment of 25% of the total project budget will be issued once the contract has been signed and returned along with all corresponding paperwork. This is not an additional payment, but an advance portion of the total project budget to support early project costs.
Project Dimensions & Budget Breakdown
The total paintable surface area includes windows and garage doors as outlined above in orange:
Windows (4 total) + Garage Doors (3 total)
Total paintable area (windows + doors): 492.06 sq ft
Total project budget at $30/sq ft: $14,761.80
Timeline
Call for Artists Opens: May 20
Application Deadline: June 12 at 11:59 PM
Submission Review Period: June 13–28
Selection Committee Review: June 29
Artist Notification: June 30
Artist Confirmation Due: July 7
Concept Development Period: July – August 3
Mural Installation: September 13–27
Mural Unveiling (Required Attendance): October 2
Thank you for your interest in the Poudre River Mural Project.
Please read the application carefully and reach out with any questions.
Contact: Jess Bean (she/they)
FCMP@fcmuralproject.org
This Poudre River Mural is made possible through our sponsors:
And partnerships with:
Land Acknowledgement:
Fort Collins Mural Project acknowledges, with respect, that the land we are on today is the traditional and ancestral homelands of the Arapaho, Cheyenne, and Ute Nations and peoples. This was also a site of trade, gathering, and healing for numerous other Indigenous people. We commit to ally-ship, to listen to and learn from Indigenous people, who lived sustainably with the land for thousands of years before colonization.
Call To Action! Support local Indigenous non-profits & organizations:
Northern Colorado Intertribal Powwow Association, Inc. - focused on Cultural Revitalization and Preservation and the local Native American community
ISTAR (Indigenous Science, Technology, Arts, and Resiliency) - focused on Native American youth and their families
Tiyospaye Winyan Maka - focused on Native American communities/reservations
TIYOSPAYE WINYAN MAKA - GuideStar Profile
Colorado State University
CSU Native American Cultural Center - focus on Native American university students
Human Rights Acknowledgement:
The FC Mural Project is dedicated to empowering local emerging, BIPOC, and LGBTQIA+ artists in Colorado. By working toward our mission with artists, local businesses, and property owners we hope to support the continued growth of Northern Colorado’s art culture. We partner with businesses and organizations that support and align with our mission.