Manitou Springs Calling For Public Art Proposals To Fill Void Of Removed Trees

Listen Now
0min 55sec

The City of Manitou Springs is calling on artists nationwide to submit proposals for a public art installation in the city. The winning proposal will receive up to 15,000 dollars from the city to pay for materials, manufacture, and installation of a durable, 3-dimensional piece of art. 

Community liason for the project, Juanita Canzoneri, says jurors from the Manitou Springs Arts Council will consider work in any style.

"[We're looking for] something to engage pedestrians and drivers alike, something that will beautify the area, and do what public art does, which is engage," she says.

The art will occupy space left vacant after the city removed several century-old elm trees on Canon Avenue in May, citing concerns over disease and ADA compliance on the nearby sidewalk. The removal was met by protest from some local residents. 

Canzoneri says the city hopes the public art can pay homage to the old elms. 

"It’s kind of a way of honoring them – those trees," she says, by "filling that gap with some artwork."

Jurors from the Manitou Springs Arts Council will judge submissions and select finalists, and Manitou Springs City Council will choose a winner by the end of the year. The call for entry is open now, and proposals are due by November 15th. 

Editor's note: An earlier version of this post misidentified the removed trees as oak trees. They were, in fact, elms. The post has been updated to reflect the change.