P.S. You Are Here Project Guidelines

Students in the Arts Street program at Youth Employment Academy worked with artists to create upcycled art in the Sun Valley neighborhood | P.S. You Are Here - Photo courtesy of Arts Street@YEA.

P.S. YOU ARE HERE
Project Guidelines

Whether this is the first time you are applying for a P.S. You Are Here (PSYAH) grant or you're already making magic in our neighborhoods, the City process for grant applications can be difficult to nagivate. We're here to help! Our team will work with you every step of the way, from conception to execution.

These projects are vital to our mission of creating more access to art in every corner of our city, to creating a sense of place, purpose and connection, and to honoring the diverse communities that call Denver home.

Where do I start?

Below is everything you need to know and the requirements to apply. Each year, when the grant opens we offer a virtual or in-person information session and recording of the session here, to provide guidance on the process.

Also, visit our PSYAH Toolkit to find resources and links that will help you in developing your idea for a future project.

PSYAH Toolkit

What is a P.S. You Are Here Project?

Site-specific creative projects that celebrate and beautify the neighborhood in which they are found.

They bring joy to the people that stumble upon it and those who see it every day on their way home, to work or to school. The project should be something people can see and touch: examples include sculptural art or a mural, or items like benches and bike racks that everyone can use. PSYAH projects must occur in a public space – like a park or along a bike path – where everyone has access. These projects – while temporary -- are in place anywhere from three months to a year, or longer.

Project Requirements

Location & Duration

Projects MUST:

Be located in an outdoor, public space within the City and County of Denver. A public space is defined as an area that is accessible, free and open to the public, such as an alley, park, plaza or street.
Follow city policies and adopted neighborhood plans.
Be on display for a minimum of 3 months and up to 1 year, or longer (timelines are flexible per project)

Projects can take place in multiples sites or spaces within a Denver corridor or neighborhood.

Access & Inclusion

Projects MUST:

Be centered in the values of equity, diversity and inclusion.
Comply with design standards of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and be thoughtful about how the project will be accessible to individuals with disabilities. Review ada.gov or contact Denver Office of Disability Rights, 720-913-8485 for assistance.
Be collaborative with the people that live in the neighborhood. The goal of this program is to foster community involvement and engagement.

Eligibility Requirements

Eligible Applicants

To be eligible, primary applicants must live in the City and County of Denver, be connected to the neighborhood, and identify as at least one of the following:

Neighborhood-based group
Registered Neighborhood Association (RNO)
Business Improvement District, Maintenance District, Business Association or Chamber of Commerce, etc.
Art or creative district
Placed-based organization or business (non- or for-profit)
An individual who resides or works in the neighborhood
An individual working with one or more of the above

Non place-based organizations, businesses, ad-hoc groups and individuals outside of the City of Denver may participate through a partnership with the above eligible applicants, but may not apply directly.

Eligible Expenses

Funding may be used to cover expenses directly related to the project, such as:

Project planning, coordination, management and related personnel
Professional services related to permits, consultants, insurance, etc.
Materials, supplies, equipment, landscaping and maintenance

Ineligible Projects & Expenses

Project funds may not be used for:

Projects on private property (unless combined with public spaces project)
Projects that have restricted participation or public access
Neighborhood entrance signage or wayfinding
Purchase of facilities
Maintenance, operation or retroactive funding of existing projects
Re-granting
Festivals or general events

Insurance & Liability Coverage Requirements

Risk Assessment Worksheet

All applicants will be required to fill out a Risk Assessment Worksheet to determine the type of insurance required for the project.

The Risk Assessment Worksheet includes questions such as:

What is the work? (medium, materials, weight, size)
How many people are part of the process from inception to completion?
Are these people employees or all sole proprietors?
Is specialized/certified knowledge required of the project such as engineering studies or architectural renderings?
How will it be installed; where will it be installed; who will be installing it?
Will the public have access to the space during the installation?
What, if any, special equipment is necessary to install and who will be handling the equipment?

Types of Coverage Required

If you are awarded a grant for a project, your contract with the City includes indemnification. Meaning, you are responsible for any claims that arise out of your work on this project.It is in your best interest to determine any exposures and potentially purchase insurance to cover that exposure.

Workers’ Compensation - State mandated coverage for employees injured on the job. Colorado Workers’ Compensation law requires any business with one or more employees to carry this type of insurance. Sole Proprietors (those with no employees) are not required to carry Workers’ Compensation. It is important to notify the City if this rule applies to you.
Business Auto Liability - Coverage for liability (negligence) claims by a third party related to the operation of an automobile. Auto insurance is required of all contractors who will be operating a vehicle as part of their contractual duties for the City. The standard limit required $1,000,000. Contractors who use their personal vehicles can substitute their personal auto insurance for the business auto requirement. It is important to notify the City if this rule applies to you.
General Liability - Coverage for liability (negligence) claims by a third party related to bodily injury (injury to another person) or property damage (damage to another person’s property). Limits will vary depending on the scope of work. Minimum limit is generally $1,000,000.
Professional Liability - Coverage for claims related to a "professional’s" error in judgment, planning or design. Examples of work requiring professional liability are architectural designs and engineering studies.

Review Criteria

Applications will be reviewed by designated representatives of the City and County of Denver including Denver Arts & Venues, City Attorney’s Office, Community Planning and Development, the Department of Finance, Denver Economic Development & Opportunity, Parks & Recreation, and Department of Transportation and Infrastructure, as well as community representatives.

The following factors and criteria will be used to evaluate proposals:

Neighborhood Participation & Community Partnerships: Applicants are asked to clearly define how the project will enhance the neighborhood. Proposals should demonstrate community support and collaboration, and how the project will create strong partnerships in the neighborhood.
Creativity, Artistic Scope & Cultural Merit: Proposals should be well-defined, goal-oriented, original and visually compelling, and draw on community resources and talent.
Planning, Feasibility & Maintenance: Proposals should demonstrate the feasibility of the project in terms of timeline, budget and available resources. Applicants are asked to explain how the project will be safely installed, maintained and removed.
Community Benefit & Social Impact: Proposals should demonstrate how the project represents and showcases community identity, heritage, engagement and sense of place.

Implementation Support

Our team will work with you through the multiple phases of the project, including providing guidance on City processes related to permitting, construction, etc. We will connect you with the various City offices you may need to work with as your project takes shape and when its ready for public viewing, we will help spread the word across our digital platforms including social, email and web.

Content Capture: If schedule allows we can often send someone to take pictures and video of your work, but its not a guarantee. We ask that you share any great content (high resolution photography, video, press) with us, so we can help with promotion.
DAV Logo Inclusion: We ask that you include our logo on any promotional assets, printed materials or social media that you do to share your project. For mention, we suggest: “This project is supported by Denver Arts & Venues through a P.S. You Are Here grant.”

Questions?

For more information contact:

Lisa Gedgaudas, Program Manager, Cultural Affairs
CONTACT LISA

Megan Deffner, Program Administrator, Denver Public Art Program
CONTACT MEGAN

Language Access

Denver Arts & Venues complies with applicable Federal civil rights laws and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, gender or language. It is your right to request oral or written language assistance services in your primary language, if needed. Please contact Denver Arts & Venues and these services will be provided to you free of charge.

REQUEST LANGUAGE SERVICES

PSYAH Project Guidelines

P.S. YOU ARE HERE Project Guidelines