REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS - DOBSON ARENA

Issued by: Town of Vail, Vail Recreation District, and Black Cube Nomadic Art Museum

Deadline: Nov. 9, 2025, 11:59pm MT

For questions, please email hello@blackcube.art.

INTRODUCTION

The Town of Vail’s Art in Public Places and the Vail Recreation District––through the management of Black Cube Nomadic Art Museum––seek to commission large-scale public artworks for the Dobson Arena in Vail, Colorado, as part of the Dobson Arena Remodel Project. The artworks will be sited in up to 5 prominent locations throughout the highly trafficked building complex. The total budget for this project is approximately $273,000, which will be distributed across all commissions.

Built in 1979, the Dobson Arena is one of the largest multi-purpose ice facilities on Colorado’s Western Slope. The building is a hub of athletic and cultural activity, open year-round to the public for hockey, figure skating, and broomball, as well as many non-ice events, including concerts, conferences, and fundraisers.

Improvements at Dobson were identified as a significant part of the Town of Vail’s Civic Area Plan, which was adopted in 2019. In early 2024, the town contracted with Populous and Hyder/McHugh Construction to move the project forward. The remodel began in April 2025 and is expected to take approximately 18 months to complete, with an anticipated reopening at the end of September 2026. More information on the venue can be found here.

Click here for the Request for Qualifications proposal details.

TIMELINE

• Nov. 9, 2025, 11:59pm MT: Deadline for RFQ submissions
• By Nov. 21, 2025: Finalists invited to submit RFP
• Jan. 12, 2026, 11:59pm MT: Deadline for RFP submissions
• Jan. 20—23, 2026: Artist interviews and proposal presentations (either virtual or in-person)
• Week of Jan. 26, 2025: Selected artists notified
• February 2026—March 31, 2026: Contracting; design development + refinement
• April 1, 2026—August 31, 2026: Fabrication + installation coordination
• Sept. 1—15, 2026: Installation

*Please note that this timeline is subject to change.