[Side Arts Certified Sponsored Listing] Embracing Our Differences announces a call for artists for their outdoor juried art exhibition.
Since 2004, Embracing Our Differences has used the power of art to promote acceptance. The centerpiece of Embracing Our Differences is an outdoor juried art exhibition featuring 50 billboard size images (12.5 feet by 16 feet) created by local, national, and international artists. The display reflects the artists’ interpretations of the theme, Embracing Our Differences.
Click here for the application / registration
Enter by: 1 July 2025
The outdoor juried art exhibition will be on display mid-January through mid-April 2026 in two locations in Sarasota and Pinellas counties in Florida.
- Awards are given for Best-in-Show Adult, Best-in-Show Student, and People’s Choice categories, with the last chosen by visitors to each exhibit location.
- Adult winners each receive $2,000.
- Student winners receive $2,000, with $1,000 to be directed to the student and $1,000 to their school’s art program, if they worked under the direction of an educator.
The 2024 exhibition was viewed by more than 422,000 visitors, allowing the artist to have their work viewed by locals and tourists from around the world.
About Embracing Our Differences
Embracing Our Differences is a Southwest Florida nonprofit celebrating individuality and shared humanity through art and education. An annual juried exhibition features thought-provoking artwork from around the world, sparking conversations about understanding and acceptance. Additionally, comprehensive educational programs engage students of all ages, providing them with the tools to critically examine their own biases and build empathy for others. Through interactive workshops, teacher training, and curriculum development, Embracing Our Differences equips educators to create inclusive learning environments where every student can thrive.
For more information, contact exhibit@embracingourdifferences.org
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[Side Arts Certified Sponsored Listing] Zephyrhills Main Street announces a call for artists for the Public Art Series, Jump Right In. Using the theme of water, Zephyrhills is the City of Pure Water and the City’s new tag line is Jump Right In. The first art project will be murals created for locations within the City’s historic downtown district. Professional artists, designers, and fabricators of public art are encouraged to submit their work for future public art projects.
Click here for the application / registration
Enter by: 8 July 2024
Jump Right In is open to all professional artists, with prior experience of creating and implementing the design of large outdoor murals that foster a unique sense of place.
The Review Committee will select up to three (3) artists to create an original mural design incorporating water and the City’s tag line, Jump Right In. The three (3) selected artists will be compensated $500 for their time in creating a site-specific design rendering. The top-ranked artist or artist team will be compensated up to $10,000 for original large scale mural. The City of Zephyrhills is home to many downtown festivals and events that will showcase the artwork. There will be a series of public art projects in the downtown area of Zephyrhills.
About Main Street Zephyrhills
Main Street Zephyrhills is dedicated to fostering a robust business district with a creative cultural experience and living environment. Zephyrhills is a place where each building tells a story, the downtown is a place where the community comes together. Young and old, lifelong residents, newcomers, and people from all walks of life mingle together at events throughout the year. Main Street Zephyrhills fosters a vibrant business climate, promotes unique special events, and designs the historic core as an inviting location for the community and its visitors.
For more information, contact director@mainstreetzephyrhills.org
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[Side Arts Certified Sponsored Listing] NATO announces a call for young artists (under 35 years old) from the United States or any other NATO member county to submit artwork featuring their interpretation of peace, security, unity and freedom for the NATO Mural Competition, the celebration of the Alliance’s 75th anniversary.
Click here for the application / registration
Enter by: 12 May 2024
Submit your work to the NATO mural competition – an opportunity to showcase your talent and artistic vision of the future. This is NATO’s 2nd mural competition. In January 2024, NATO unveiled its first public mural, created by street artists in Vilnius, Lithuania, to celebrate the summit held in the city in 2023 and symbolise NATO’s collective defence mission.
The winner of this year’s NATO’s mural competition will get to work with a Washington, DC, street artist to develop their artwork. The design will be featured as a permanent mural on a wall in Washington, DC.
Additionally, top artworks from this year’s mural competition will be displayed at an exhibition at the 2024 NATO Summit venue in Washington, DC.
About NATO
In 2024, NATO celebrates 75 years of collective defence. Since its creation on 4 April 1949, the transatlantic Alliance has grown from 12 founding members to 32 member countries, all working together to keep our people safe. A community of Allies bound together by common values of democracy, individual liberty, human rights and the rule of law, NATO celebrates its anniversary on 4 April at NATO Headquarters in Brussels and at the upcoming summit on 9-11 July in Washington, DC, where its founding treaty was signed.
For more information, contact honor.addington@mcsaatchi.com.
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[Side Arts Certified Sponsored Listing] The City of Keller, Texas, announces a call for artists for the 2024 Bates Street Public Art Bench Project.
Click here for the application / registration
Enter by: 22 March 2024
The portion of Bates Street, where the public art bench will be installed, is a recently reconstructed festival street featuring string lighting, gateway structures, and food truck accommodations. The ideal bench will be useful, aesthetically pleasing, and contribute to the place-making goals of the improvements project. There is no theme for the art bench. The bench must be family-friendly and appropriate for public display. The City of Keller will provide a 4″x6″ plaque for each bench to include artwork title, artist name, and year of installation.
The Old Town Keller Improvements Project is aimed at upgrading the infrastructure in one of the oldest areas of the city. It includes amenities like landscaping, street lighting and public art. The city hopes to foster the development of Old Town Keller into an arts and entertainment district, with an eclectic blend of restaurants, shops, and services.
A stipend of $8000 will be paid, one-half upon acceptance and one-half following installation and acceptance.
About the City of Keller
The City of Keller Public Arts is a growing program in the community within and outside of the Keller area. It boasts 15 permanent sculptures, 11 sculptures that rotate 5 or 6 yearly for a 2-year period. Five gallery art shows take place in Keller Town Hall throughout the year, boasting a wide variety of genres. Concerts are part of the annual arts events, with an annual performance by the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra, and smaller, intimate concerts at Town Hall or in the park.
For more information, contact publicarts@cityofkeller.com
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[Side Arts Certified Sponsored Listing] The City of Newport Beach (City) announces a call for entries for Phase IX of its ongoing Newport Beach Sculpture Exhibition to further activate the splendor of its Civic Center Park. Up to ten artworks may be selected and showcased for two years in the 14-acre, ocean-view site specially designed by renowned landscape architect Peter Walker as an intended sculpture garden.
The Civic Center is the heart of Newport Beach – home to City Hall, administrative offices, and the spectacular Central Library building. The Park welcomes residents and visitors year-round for free concerts on the lawn, art shows, docent-led sculpture tours, visits to the dog park, and leisurely trail walks among the environmentally-friendly native plant life.
Click here for the application / registration
Enter by: 24 January 2024
The Newport Beach Sculpture Exhibition transforms Civic Center Park into a “museum without walls,” constantly evolving as new, bold contemporary works from world-class artists rotate through, delighting and enriching park visitors. Artists, private collectors, galleries, and museums/non-profit institutions are invited to submit artworks for consideration to be installed from June 2024 to June 2026.
Newport Beach Sculpture Exhibition Artist Benefits
Selected artists will receive an honorarium of $5,000 in exchange for a two-year loan of their artwork. No other fees or expense reimbursements are offered. Honorarium shall be used to cover round-trip transportation of the artwork to and from the exhibition site, structural engineering documents (if required), any insurance needed or desired for artwork transport and display, and for the cost of on-site availability during installation and removal.
Artists will receive half of the honorarium upon delivery of the artwork to the site for installation, inspection and acceptance by the City; and the second half of the payment after de-installation at the conclusion of the two-year exhibition period.
About Arts Orange County
Arts Orange County (ArtsOC) is the independent nonprofit arts council for Orange County, California, and is dedicated to sustaining, strengthening, and advancing the county’s creative ecology. Designated by the County as its official local arts agency, ArtsOC is the community’s leading advocate and service provider for the arts and arts education. With deep experience as both consultant and facilitator for both public art calls and Arts Master Plans for local government, ArtsOC has been contracted by the City of Newport Beach to facilitate the submission and selection process for the Exhibition since its beginning.
For more information, contact nthurkettle@artsoc.org
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[Side Arts Certified Sponsored Listing] The Arts and Cultural Heritage Division (ACHD) of the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, Prince George’s Department of Parks and Recreation invites individual artists and artist teams to submit applications for exterior sculptural artwork to be installed on a temporary basis at the Montpelier Arts Center in Laurel, Maryland. ACHD is seeking existing sculptural works that fit the criteria described in this solicitation, rather than design and fabrication of new work.
The selected artwork will be placed on a concrete pad sited on a lawn area at the center of the circular driveway directly in front of the entry to the Art Center and grounds leading to Montpelier Mansion. Dimensions of the concrete pad measure is approximately 14 feet in diameter and 6 inches in height. Based on engineering specifications, the pad can support a variety of types and weights of sculpture.
Click here for the application / registration
Apply by: 4 September 2023
This public art project seeks to enhance the outdoor environment of the Montpelier Arts Center and Mansion by:
- Making a significant statement that relates to the sense of place associated with the site
- Having a strong daytime and nighttime presence
- Setting a standard of excellence for future public art projects planned for Prince George’s County
- Capturing Prince George’s County’s historic and modern significance to the Greater Washington, D.C. region
The budget for the temporary art installation is $3,000 for the two-year exhibition period. Payment for the project will be made in two installments: with a deposit of $2,000 paid upon successful installation of the artwork and initiation of the project, and a final payment of $1,000 upon the successful deinstallation and completion of the project.
About The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission
The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC) is a bi-county agency established in 1927 that serves both Prince George’s and Montgomery Counties in Maryland by providing long-range planning, park acquisition/development, and administration of the Prince George’s County Recreation Program.
The Prince George’s Department of Parks and Recreation is a well-respected leader in the field with an unprecedented six national gold medals for excellence. It operates and maintains more than 27,000 acres of parkland throughout the county. With cooperation and input from diverse communities throughout Prince George’s County, the Department operates a comprehensive park and recreation system that offers programs and facilities designed to meet the needs and interests of patrons of all ages.
For more information, contact brittney.mcgowan@pgparks.com.
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[Side Arts Certified Sponsored Listing] The Oak Bay Parks, Recreation, and Culture announces a call for artists for the annual Arts Alive Public Art Program, a public art exhibition. Sculptures are selected by a peer jury to be displayed for up to a year at outdoor sites in Oak Bay, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. They are on temporary loan by the artists who are sponsored by a local business or community group.
Click here for the application / registration
Enter by: 23 January 2023
Oak Bay Parks, Recreation, and Culture has installed outdoor sculptures in a variety of locations around Oak Bay — from stylized realistic pieces to the purely abstract, in various media including static and kinetic sculpture. They have been greatly appreciated for their artistic merit and have challenged viewers to pause and reflect about living in this special seaside community, proud of its distinct heritage even as it contemplates its future as a vibrant place to live and work. The permanent sculptures frame views, animate parks, streetscapes, and viewpoints.
Arts Alive Public Art Program Theme for 2023: What is home?
This is an excellent opportunity for both mid-career and emerging artists to showcase their work. Artists are invited to reflect on and interpret the theme ‘What is Home?’.
A physical space or place? A nation or region? A connection to land or landscape? A sanctuary? A memory? Recollections of layers of history told through stories or legends? Cultural roots that extend for many generations? A safe space that satisfies the longing for connection? A palatial, modest, temporary or mobile residence? A place that is rented, borrowed or owned? A safe space that satisfies the longing for belonging? A place to thrive, forgive, love, celebrate, play, share, and dream of the future? A place that is no longer there, hidden, or make-shift?
How can an idea of home be communicated through the medium of sculpture?
Arts Alive Artist Benefits
Artist’s work will have exposure to thousands of residents and visitors in this high-profile program. The municipality, local media, and Oak Bay Tourism will promote this show throughout the year. Related arts events like art walks, paint-ins, concerts, and celebrations will be organized, generating excitement, and building community.
- Artists based in Western Canada are invited to apply for our 2023-2024 outdoor public art program
- Work will be displayed for approximately 1 year.
- Proposals will be reviewed by an expert volunteer jury.
- Depending on community sponsorships, up to 8 works may be selected.
- Successful submissions will be provided with an honorarium of $1,600.
About Oak Bay
The municipality of Oak Bay is part of Greater Victoria and is located on the southeastern tip of Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada. It lies in the traditional territory of the lək̓ʷəŋən people, known today as the Songhees and Esquimalt Nations.
Surrounded by beaches and parkland, its scenery includes splendid views across the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the Salish Sea. This geologically fascinating area is home to the unique and rare Garry Oak meadow ecosystem.
The 18,000 residents have a deep attachment to a natural and built environment. This municipality is legendary for its fine domestic architecture; picturesque, luxuriant gardens; and parks. Its compact and charming village heart is the home of several art galleries enjoyed by local artists and art enthusiasts.
For more information, contact apass@oakbay.ca.
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[Side Arts Certified Sponsored Listing] Fontys announces a call for artists for for the international Master Performing Public Space (PPS) focused on a variety of art disciplines who currently focus on public space as their artistic environment. The program is committed to understanding how cultural developments can produce meaningful change within our shared spaces, based on the idea that public space exists only when it is socially performed.
In a time in which political and social structures are re-considered heavily, PPS offers a flexible and innovative environment to artistically question, redefine and reclaim public space in its broadest sense. Combining an interdisciplinary range of approaches and subjects, with an equally diverse range of research methods, PPS creates the opportunity for artists to explore their practice and its potential in public space. Creatives with a background in theatre, dance, circus, music, fine arts, architecture, digital arts, and graphic design are welcome to join this program.
Click here for the application / registration
Apply by: 31 March 2023
Master Performing Public Space Program format
- One-Year
- International
- Full-Time
- Multidisciplinary
- Blended-learning program: continuous online education and bootcamps (intensive weeks hosted on-site in Tilburg, the Netherlands)
The primary goal of the program is to enable students to adopt an independent and critical reflective attitude while inventively switching between different roles in the organizational process of their artistic research. This Master offers its students the necessary tools to perform critically and effectively as artists and researchers, able to navigate complex modes and methods surrounding the contemporary artistic process and result.
Why this study?
- International art and research community
- Individual coaching and collective experimentation
- Work in an interdisciplinary setting
- Strengthen critical and artistic positioning
- 24/7 access to the online learning platform
“Performing Public Space helped me develop the vocabulary and mindset for investigative artistic practice which I can apply to solve pressing spatial issues, both digital and physical.”
– Helen Scarlett O’Neill / Artist / PPS graduate 2020 / UK
About Fontys
The Master Performing Public Space is part of Fontys Fine and Performing Arts in Tilburg. Fifteen different art courses are taught at Fontys Fine and Performing Arts. Dance, music, visual arts, design, theatre, and circus can all be found within this institute.
Fontys Fine and Performing Arts’ ambitions includes development into an interdisciplinary arts institute that collaborates in a dynamic way with partners from the professional field. In the process, Fontys distinctly wants to search for connection with international partners. In our urban and regional areas, Fontys wants to be an indicator and a collaboration partner, participating in relevant activities based on knowledge, experience, and creativity.
For more information, contact fhkpublicspace@fontys.nl.
Image: Lukáš Palatinus / Jitka Čechová, PPS Graduate 2022
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[Side Arts Certified Sponsored Listing] The City of Penticton, British Columbia, announces a call for artists for their Public Sculpture Exhibition which opens May 2023. Created in 2016, Penticton’s Public Sculpture Exhibition (PPSE) is a year-long outdoor exhibit of original sculptures. Seven (7) sculptures will be located along the Okanagan Lake waterfront or downtown, and one (1) larger feature sculpture for the Front Street roundabout (intersections of Front Street, Marina Way, Ellis Street and Vancouver Avenue) in Penticton, BC.
Click here for the application / registration
Enter by: 5 December 2022
The Pentiction Sculpture Walk Exhibition is committed to serving the public by providing access to various mediums of public sculpture. It is well noted that public art slows down the pedestrian traffic, providing a positive impact on the enjoyment and mood of the general public, influences how people see and connect within their communities, and provides an opportunity for dialogue between friends and strangers. Through an annual revolving collection of sculptures, the City of Pentiction hopes to provide a freshness to public art that engages, connects, and provides its community with a sense of image and identity, as well as including artists as contributors to this cultural fabric.
General Information
- PPSE is open to professional sculptors of all backgrounds.
- Previously completed sculpture photos, or proposed designs can be submitted. For proposed designs, detailed drawings of the proposed sculpture must be included, as well as photo examples of previous work.
- Lakefront/downtown sculptures are required to remain on site for the duration of one year (May 2023 – April 2024). The roundabout sculpture may be negotiated into a two-year term (May 2023-April 2025).
- Artists will be responsible for transportation of their sculpture to and from site. Pedestals / pads will be provided by the PPSE.
- Artists will retain the ownership of their sculpture and will be responsible for carrying comprehensive insurance to cover it in the event of theft or vandalism and public liability, or will sign an indemnification in favour of the City of Penticton for any liability claims against the City as a result of the existence or location of the sculpture within the City during the exhibition. The risk of loss or damage to the sculpture will always be borne by the artist, and the artist will be responsible to repair and or replace all or part of the sculpture in the event of loss or damage thereto during the exhibition.
- The City will enter into a lease agreement with the Artist for the duration of the exhibition and the Artist is responsible to uphold all terms and conditions of the agreement as set out by the City.
- City staff will perform the installation to ensure that the work is done in accordance with City standards, and to optimize the viewing of the sculpture.
- Sculptures will be placed in predetermined locations at the discretion of the PPSE committee and City.
- Artists are encouraged to be present for the installation of their sculpture(s) in May, 2023, and removal in April, 2024. In the event the artist cannot be present, they are required to provide, in writing, a representative to be present on their behalf.
- At the end of the lease any sales/leases of sculptures will be conducted solely by the artist or their agent and will not involve the City.
- The City will be responsible for media relations and publicity for the sculpture exhibition.
- The artist will retain copyright for their sculpture and grant the City a license to take and distribute images of the sculptures. Any other likeness or models of the sculpture will not be created without the explicit permission of the artist.
Public Sculpture Exhibition Artist Benefits
Artists will be paid a set lease price of $2,000 for the waterfront/downtown sculptures and $3,000 for the roundabout sculpture. In addition to the lease amounts, prizes for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place ($500, $300, and $200 respectively) will be awarded. The sculptures are owned by the artists and leased by the City of Penticton.
With Pentiction being a year-round tourist destination in British Columbia’s heart of the Okanagan, chosen artists will benefit by receiving access to the general public for a period of one full year, for the waterfront or downtown sites, and a possible two-year period for the Front Street roundabout site. Throughout the lease period, artists gain access to further leasing or sales opportunities that may conclude at the end of the lease period. These further opportunities will be conducted solely by the artist and outside of the involvement of the City.
About the City of Penticton
Nestled between two lakes, Penticton enjoys long, hot summers, dry winters and more than 2,000 hours of sunshine each year. The city is located in the southern Okanagan Valley of British Columbia, which is easily accessed by major highways and airports. Known for beaches, wine, and orchards, not to mention a wide range of outdoor recreational activities. Hop on your bike to discover award-winning wineries and trails with stellar views. Shop at the bustling outdoor market, peruse art galleries or go skating at the modern Community Centre. Ski champagne powder slopes or take in a hockey game or concert at the South Okanagan Events Centre. Penticton is located on the ancestral and unceded territory of the Syilx/Okanagan people. Its name, from the Interior Salish word snpintktn, is commonly translated as “a place to stay forever,” or more accurately, “a place where people live year-round.” It’s the kind of place where people come to visit for the holidays – and never want to leave.
For more information, contact info@proficientartstallations.ca.
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[Side Arts Certified Sponsored Listing] The Decatur Arts Alliance, with the City of Decatur, seeks sculpture artists for acquisition of existing work for Sam’s Crossing retail/residential district in Decatur, Georgia. The work will become a part of the city’s permanent collection. Sculpture artists can submit completed or in-progress work. The Decatur Arts Alliance invites submissions from artists who are eligible to work in the United States.
Click here for the application / registration
Enter by: 16 October 2022
The Decatur Arts Alliance is seeking three different sculptures, each to be installed at one of three specific sites within the retail/residential district. Total compensation is based on the site specifications.
- Site A: Up to $40,000 – South side of the retail district on East Ponce de Leon Avenue. The work can be up to 8 feet in diameter and 30 feet in height.
- Site B: Up to $50,000 – Located adjacent to the residential apartment community on the corner of East Ponce de Leon Avenue, 5 feet in diameter and 40 feet in height.
- Site C: $30,000 – Located between 2 freestanding retail buildings, the work should be no more than 3 feet in diameter and up to 10 feet in height.
The Decatur Arts Alliance and the City of Decatur are working with the developers of the retail space and the residential community for this public art installation. The Sam’s Crossing retail/residential district is located on a 10-acre site comprised 69,000 square feet of commercial retail space, including a Publix grocery at 2720 E. Ponce de Leon Avenue and 290 unit Notion apartments at 175 North Arcadia Avenue. Building construction of the retail development was completed in 2021. The residential apartments will be completed in 2022.
About Decatur Arts Alliance
The Decatur Arts Alliance is a nonprofit partnership of artists, business owners, and residents dedicated to supporting and enhancing the arts in the city of Decatur. The Decatur Arts Alliance sponsors the annual festivals and special art events for members only. It provides a collaborative environment to coordinate the interests of artists, gallery owners, theater groups, dance groups, and performance venues within Decatur as well as develop the city as a strong arts community.
Public art has long been recognized as a community asset, but because many of its benefits seem intangible, it is often treated as a low priority, especially during challenging economic times. The Decatur Arts Alliance has shown that prioritizing public art can lead to increased levels of community engagement and social cohesion.
For more information, contact artsubmissions@decaturartsalliance.org.