If you’re interested in creating the artwork for Bike to Work Day 2008, read on:

The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) is soliciting artists who would like to be considered for the 2008 Bike Month poster project.

Bike Month is a celebration of the bicycle as a healthy, efficient and fun transportation alternative. Each year, CDOT procures an artist to create a new poster that reflects the fun and freedom that bicycle commuting provides.

CDOT is requesting samples of existing art. Artists interested in the project are not expected to create a bike month poster as part of the selection process.

The selected artist will be developing a theme and design based on the following criteria:

Flexibility. The poster art is the benchmark of all graphic materials. For continuity, other materials are produced using parts or the entire poster (i.e. newspaper ads, invitations, stationery, schedules, TV ads, etc.) The poster has to provide for these other uses. When someone sees a part of the poster used in another way, we want them to mentally connect it with the entire Bike Month poster. The artwork also needs to be easily modified for local community personalization
Colorful, so people can see it on a tee-shirt, in a store window, etc.
Vibrant
Crisp
Exciting
Contemporary
Contain a universal image that can be used throughout the state, without identifying a specific “place” (We don’t want a Colorado location that could be identified such as a particular mountain, building, streetscape, etc.). On the same token, it should not appear as though it is a generic poster from another state
While the artwork is primarily going to be reproduced in full color, it also needs to work well in black and white
People should be considered as part of the design
If people are part of the artwork, they need to represent the “every person” – common individuals. Diversity also needs to be represented
Include aspects that reflect “commuting.” It should not reflect bicycle racing or mountain biking – it should focus on the commuting aspect of bicycling
Final poster size will be 11” x 17”

Interested artists over the age of 18 should submit samples of their artwork on a CD before 5 p.m. Monday, July 23, 2007, to Adam Rolstad with CDOT’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Program, 4201 East Arkansas Avenue DTD, Shumate Building, Denver, Colorado 80222. A panel consisting of local transportation agencies will determine which artist will be selected by August 29, 2007. Entries become CDOT property.

Important Dates

Preliminary Artwork Deadline – Monday, July 23, 2007 5 p.m.
Artist Selection – Friday, August 17, 2007
Artist Notified – Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Finished Artwork Deadline – Monday, October 15, 2007
Bike Month – June 2008
Bike to Work Day – June 25, 2008

For more information, contact the CDOT Bicycle and Pedestrian program:
Adam.Rolstad@dot.state.co.us or bicycleinfo@dot.state.co.us

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