Great Sauk State Trail Public Art

The Great Sauk State Trail (GSST) in Sauk City, Wisconsin is seeking public art for a 10.5-mile paved trail that parallels the Wisconsin River through Prairie du Sac and Sauk City. The trail, established in 2017 on a former Union Pacific rail corridor, is part of a larger vision to eventually connect to Devil's Lake State Park, the 400 State Trail in Reedsburg, and the Elroy-Sparta Trail in La Valle, as well as the Walking Iron Trail and other Dane County trail systems. This project is funded through the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 via the Tourism Capital Grant Program.

The selected artist will receive $40,000 to create public artwork that is ideally 100 feet long and 6 feet tall (smaller dimensions will be considered). The goal is to visually improve an unsightly fenced area. A freestanding mural or sculpture is suggested, but creative designs are encouraged. Artwork should respect the natural scenery and speak to the history and geology of Sauk County, while providing a sense of excitement and discovery. The art committee will prioritize artistic excellence, visual impact, connection to Sauk County history, demonstrated ability to execute projects of this scale, and durability. All materials, labor, engineering, installation, and equipment costs are included in the $40,000 budget.

Artists must reside in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois, or Michigan and be over 18 years old. Submissions require a preliminary project concept with installation and maintenance requirements, resume or CV, concept drawing(s), and 5-10 images of past public artwork. The top 3 finalists will be invited for site visits and given 4 weeks to develop final designs and itemized budgets. Finalists receive a $300 stipend for time and travel expenses and a one-night hotel stay if travel distance exceeds 200 miles. Final designs must be approved by the Great Sauk State Trail Commission. Timeline: Applications due January 13, 2023 by 11:59 p.m. CST; finalists notified February 1, 2023; finalist site visits March 1-10, 2023; final proposals due April 10, 2023; selected artist notified April 17, 2023; artwork installed Fall 2023.