Underwater Sculpture

The City of Pompano Beach is commissioning an artist or artist team to design and fabricate a sculpture with a budget of $35,000. The sculpture will be displayed at a beach location for one year, then submerged into the ocean and attached to Lady Luck in Shipwreck Park.

Shipwreck Park is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to creating an underwater park system with artificial reefs and public art to raise awareness of coral reef preservation. Lady Luck is a 324-foot tanker vessel sunk on July 23rd, 2016, approximately 1½ miles off Pompano Beach's shore. The ship serves as the centerpiece of Shipwreck Park, surrounded by 16 other existing wrecks and functioning as a unique underwater cultural arts park with rotating underwater art exhibits.

Materials must be approved for permanent ocean submersion and include concrete, ferrous and/or aluminum-alloy metals (¼ inch or more in thickness), clean steel, and limestone boulders. All materials must be free from contaminants, asphalt, petroleum, hydrocarbons, and toxic residues. The sculpture must weigh more than 500 pounds. For attachment to Lady Luck, the sculpture should include a 12" 2-1/2"d. schedule 40 S.S. pipe with a 3/4" through hole for bolting to the ship's existing 3" receivers. Artists must work with an engineer if necessary and contact Shipwreck Park for final approval details. The City will cover sinking fees and permits. There is no specific theme requirement. Designs must be appropriate for public display and cannot be religious, political, or sexual in nature. Text, words, alpha-numeric characters, corporate logos, and advertising are prohibited. Applicants may submit 3 applications with 4-6 work samples each.