THE PROJECT
RiverArtes III is a revolving biennial exhibition of public art by sculptors of international, national and regional prominence designed to celebrate the vitality of Owensboro, Kentucky; enhance its creative placemaking efforts; establish it as a cultural tourism destination and enrich the lives of its residents and visitors. Opportunities abound in the City’s new multi-million dollar Riverfront Development for the placement of public art, a visual additive that creates an atmosphere of community pride, excitement and celebration.
The project, which features rotating exhibitions of monumental outdoor sculpture, follows the national model for leased sculpture installations, each lasting two years. Sculpture sponsors include foundations, granting agencies and private and corporate patrons.
The 2014 RIVERARTES I and 2016 RIVERARTES II exhibitions leased a total of 11 monumental works of art, 9 of which have been purchased for permanent installation.
SALON OF SELECTION
An exhibition of 100 selected entries will be presented at the Owensboro Museum of Fine Art and will provide sponsors an opportunity to review and choose sculpture that they wish to lease or purchase from 2018 RiverArtes III. Artists may have their works represented in this exhibition by maquettes, photographs or other illustrative formats.
SELECTION CRITERIA
The selection criteria will include: quality of craftsmanship; attention to architectural, historical, geographic and cultural context; maintainability; structural and surface soundness; durability; resistance to weathering, excessive maintenance and repair costs; appropriateness for placement on a pedestrian site and ability to withstand public interaction.
TIMELINE
June 1 Deadline for receipt of digital entries
June 18 Notification of acceptance
July 9-13 Accepted entries received
July 28 Museum exhibition opens
Oct. 21 Contracts finalized
Oct. 21 Museum exhibition closes
SITE INSTALLATIONS
Selections for installations will be made by October 21, and lease agreements signed with artists. Two-year lease periods will begin when installations are finalized.
TERMS - $5,000 STIPEND FOR 2-YEAR LEASE
Each artist selected for the two-year exhibition will receive $2500 per year for lease of each sculpture. The artist will be responsible for transportation of sculpture to and from the site and for installation. Costs regarding site preparation will be the responsibility of the sponsors. Sculpture will be insured by the sponsor while installed at the site.
Artists selected for this exhibition will be required to meet contract terms. There will be no additional award beyond the stipend, and no contingency funds will be available.
