Call Summary:
The City of Ocala Cultural Arts Office is placing a call for entries for the 5th Biennial Ocala Outdoor Sculpture Competition. Ten works will be selected for a two-year outdoor exhibition in Tuscawilla Park located in Ocala, Florida.

Awards:
Best in Show: $2,000
2nd Place: $1,000
Honorable Mention: $500
People’s Choice: $500
Grand Total $24,000

Budget:
Each artist selected for the exhibition will receive a $2,000 honorarium to cover transportation, installation, and de-installation of the sculpture. Any additional costs are the sole responsibility of the artist. Honoraria checks will be presented to the artist at the time of installation.

Eligibility:
This call is open to artists currently working and residing in the United States with experience in outdoor Public Art.

Deadline:
August 30, 2019

Description:
The City of Ocala Cultural Arts Office creates opportunities for public art to transform ordinary spaces into destinations. The goal of our Art in City Spaces program is to foster creativity, discovery and thoughtfulness among our citizens and visitors. The selected works will be on exhibit in Tuscawilla Park, considered the “crown jewel” of Ocala’s parks, the 45-acre green space is an extension of the downtown.

Timeline:
Postmark Deadline for Entries: August 30, 2019
Notification of Acceptance/Decline: Week of October 18, 2019
Install Accepted Sculptures: January 6 - 17, 2020
VIP Reception & Sculpture Preview: Friday, February 21, 2020
Tuscawilla Park Sculpture Stroll: Saturday, February 22, 2020
Deinstallation of Sculptures: January 17-28, 2022
Sculptures MUST be installed no later than January 17, 2020. Any sculpture that cannot be installed by that time will be disqualified, and an alternate will be chosen. Sculptures must be removed by January 28, 2022. Sculptures cannot be removed prior to the end of the show.

Selection Criteria:
All work must meet the following criteria to be eligible for consideration:
•Be able to withstand a high traffic, public, family park environment for a period of two years, while taking into consideration the safety of the audience and other outdoor elements.
•Be capable of withstanding adverse weather conditions common to the state of Florida (high humidity, high temperatures, heavy rain, frequent thunder storms, high winds etc.)
•Be maintenance free for the duration of the two-year exhibition.
•Work must have been completed within the last five years (2014 or after.)
•Be built in a manner to allow fastening to a concrete pad with anchor bolts measuring 5/8” (unless an optional anchoring system is provided by the artist and approved by the City prior to installation.)
•Work may not have been previously displayed within Marion County, Florida, or entered into this competition.
Only entries that have been completed, or that are guaranteed to be completed three months before installation, are eligible. If a proposal is submitted and proof of completion is not received by three months prior to installation the work will be disqualified.

Application Requirements:
Artists may submit up to three different works
•Three professional quality digital images of each work in jpg. format with a resolution of 180ppi., preferably from different angles. Label each image with the last name of the artist and the name title of the work. Printed photographs, drawings, or slides will not be accepted.
•Professional resume (word document or PDF)
•Artists statement (word document or PDF)
•Word document or pdf with the following information
1. Name
2. Address
3. Phone number
4. Email
5. Title of work
6. Material(s) of work
7. Date
8. Dimensions (in ft and in: h x w x d)
9. Weight
10. Value of work
Incomplete or lost applications are not accepted. Submission constitutes agreement to the rules and details as published in this call for entries. All entrants will be notified of the results of the selection process. Please do not contact this office about the status of your application. Submission materials will not be returned.
Submission Address: 828 NE 8th Ave., Ocala, FL 34474
Overnight and express shipping is not allowed.

Important Additional Information:
Artists may sell the work during the project period. However, the work must remain on site for the duration of the exhibition. If a selected work is sold prior to exhibition, it is expected to be exhibited and stay for the duration of the show.
The City of Ocala will supervise, assist, and supply equipment (such as a crane), if necessary, for installation of all sculptures. Concrete pads are constructed by the City of Ocala personnel based on the mounting specifications provided by the artist at the time of acceptance.
The City of Ocala will provide insurance for a maximum claim of $15,000 during the exhibition. The City of Ocala will not be held responsible for damage due to inherent vice or poor construction materials.
The City of Ocala reserves the right to photograph the work and/or the artist for documentation, education, and publicity purposes without additional compensation. A printed sculpture walk brochure and cell phone tour will be produced for the exhibition.

Selection Process:
The ten works for exhibition will be selected by a jury composed of art professionals, art & culture agency representatives, community representatives and artists. This year’s Merit Juror, Ife Williams, artist and Executive Director at the Hudgens Center for the Arts, will select the Best in Show, Second Place, and Honorable Mention award winners once they are installed. The winner of the People’s Choice Award will be determined by a simple majority vote of the attending public at the Tuscawilla Park Sculpture Stroll on Saturday, February 22, 2020

Works will be selected based on the following:
Quality and strength of work
Ability of work to meet selection criteria

Resources for Questions:
Ocala Cultural Arts Office
352-629-8447
[email protected]