The Howard County Arts Council is calling for artists and site suggestions for ARTsites 2025, a juried public art competition and exhibit. The council seeks artists with large-scale sculpture(s) fit for year-long outdoor display, and publicly accessible outdoor areas in Howard County to display them.
ARTsites 2025 is a year-long public art exhibit that will be on display at up to 12 locations throughout Howard County beginning in August 2025 until July 2026. Both sites and artwork will be evaluated and selected by a panel of arts and public art professionals.
The mission of ARTsites 2025 is to increase community access to art through sculptures placed in public spaces all around Howard County for people to enjoy and experience. The art will serve as a visual anchor to enhance and activate community spaces.
Artists with public art experience are invited to submit up to six existing works for consideration. They may also propose new work with concept drawings and/or models.
“Sculpture should have a strong visual impact and must be of a scale suitable for outdoor display; of sound design, free-standing, and suitable for public viewing; and able to withstand an outdoor, high-traffic, unmonitored environment with little or no maintenance,” reads the press release from the Arts Council.
Artists chosen for ARTsites 2025 will receive a $3,000 grant for the temporary loan of their work, insurance, installation of their work, and de-installation. There is no fee to enter the competition.
All community, commercial, and public sites in Howard County are eligible to apply for locations to display the sculptures. The sites must be visible and available to the public.
“Sites should consider that public art should be placed where it will enhance and activate the space; where it will be highly visible; where it will create a place to congregate or be in a location that experiences a high amount of pedestrian traffic; and where it will not block windows, entranceways, etc.,” according to the press release.
The panel will give preference to sites that have, or are willing to install at their own expense, a concrete pad for the sculpture, although some sculpture might be suitable for lawn installation.
Complete guidelines and submission information are available in the Exhibit Opportunities section of the HCAC website at this link. Guidelines and submission information can also be found at the Howard County Center for the Arts, or by calling (410) 313-2787. The deadline for all submissions is February 24, 2025.
