The Thornton Arts, Sciences and Humanities Council (TASHCO) seeks to commission multiple artists/teams to aesthetically transform traffic utility boxes from functional infrastructure into colorful and inspired works of art by painting them. Community members, the TASHCO board and select City staff will select up to six artists and/or artist teams to paint traffic cabinet boxes in six different locations in the City of Thornton. The Outside the Box project will be unveiled in the summer of 2017 and will showcase the work of our talented local artists as this public art becomes part of our streetscapes eventually creating a drive by art exhibit within the City.

TASHCO is requesting proposals in an open competition for artists/teams to create murals on identified electrical equipment (traffic boxes) placed within the City of Thornton. The goal of this project is to mitigate graffiti upon these existing structures and to make them artful objects. The traffic boxes are functioning units and need to be opened and operated periodically by utility personnel. Final artwork must incorporate the inclusion of the existing required labeling for each electrical/utility unit.

The work is intended to be a permanent addition to the City of Thornton. Design and installation must consider that this artwork will be situated in a public location and subject to the elements and potential vandalism. The medium is limited to highly durable materials and must be able to withstand adverse weather, climbing and touching. Access to the boxes and to the contents of the boxes must be possible at any time. The contents of the boxes have the potential to generate extreme levels of heat.