Sculpture at the River Market Commission Opportunity 2024

Sculpture at the River Market invites professional sculpture artists and artist teams with demonstrated experience completing permanent, large-scale public sculpture to submit qualifications for a public art commission. The site is located at the Little Rock Chamber of Commerce Building on Highway 10 near West Markham, a prominent location visible from both the Chamber building and the highway.

The sculpture site is a 12-foot diameter concrete pad at the end of a grass lawn, elevated above Highway 10 by a retaining wall varying from 5 to 7 feet in height. The site is partially surrounded by a 4-foot high and 4-foot-wide hedge, with 18 feet of distance from the back edge of the pad to the hedge. The hedge may remain or be removed. Proposals should be for mixed media, 3-D, free-standing, large-scale sculpture appropriate for outdoor space.

Semifinalists will receive a $500 honorarium to develop project proposals. The selected artist will receive up to $60,000 for the commission, inclusive of artist fee and all expenses for sculpture including design, materials, supplies, equipment, fabrication, structural engineering, transportation, installation, and insurance. Installation is scheduled for April-May 2025. Eligibility is open to fine art sculptors who are residents of or working in the United States. Work must be produced by the sculptor or under their personal supervision, made by hand or with appropriate tools and casting techniques. If selected as a finalist, the artist must travel to Little Rock in late April 2024 to present their proposal at "A Night in the Garden" party; a travel stipend of up to $500 and one night's hotel accommodation will be provided.

Applications require a one-page letter of interest, maximum two-page CV, and three to five images of past large-scale public art projects with annotated image list including title, media, year completed, dimensions, location, project budget, timeline, and commissioning entity. Entry fee is $5.00. Five semifinalists will be selected by March 5, 2024, with three finalists notified by March 29, 2024.