The City of Ocala is currently seeking entries for its seventh biennial Outdoor Sculpture Competition.
A total of 10 works will be selected for a two-year outdoor exhibition in Tuscawilla Park and Tuscawilla Art Park. The competition is open to artists currently working and residing in North America who have experience in large outdoor public art.
According to the city, each artist selected for the exhibition will receive a $2,000 honorarium. Jade Powers (Curator of Contemporary Art from the Harn Museum of Art) will serve as the competition’s merit juror to select the Best of Show, Second Place, and Honorable Mention winners. In addition, these categories will include a cash prize:
- Best in Show: $2,000.
- Second Place: $1,000.
- Honorable Mention: $500.
- People’s Choice: $500.
The 10 jury-selected sculptures will be installed at Tuscawilla Park between January 8 and January 19, 2024, and they will remain on display until January 2026. The Ocala Outdoor Sculpture Competition will also include a scavenger hunt, catalogue, and an online and mobile device tour.
The city invites the public to attend the following events on February 17, 2024, to welcome the sculptures to Ocala: the BOBA (Beginning of Bolted Art) paid brunch and the Tuscawilla Park Sculpture Stroll, which is a free community event.
Attendees will enjoy tours of the sculptures, live entertainment, free art activities, and the opportunity to vote for their favorite sculpture to win the People’s Choice Award.
To view submission guidelines, visit the City of Ocala’s Outdoor Sculpture Competition webpage. All entries for the competition must be postmarked no later than August 30, 2023.
For more information, contact the Ocala Cultural Arts Office via phone (352-629-8447) or email (artinfo@ocalafl.org).