Sculpture Walk: Call for Artists

About the Sculpture Walk Program

The Walter E. Terhune Art Gallery at Owens Community College is seeking to commission an Artist or Artist team that is interested in loaning existing art sculptures to be exhibited outside the Center for Fine and Performing Arts (CFPA) for one year. The sculptures will be on display from May 2026 until June 2027, and the call is open to artists within a 50-mile radius of Owens Community College.

The three-dimensional artwork must be original. They must be of a scale and material suitable for outdoor display and require minimal ongoing maintenance. There is a total of three concrete pads that will be available for the Sculpture Walk Program. All of these pads are located on the Owens Community College Campus between the CFPA Building and the Health Education Center.

The Call to Artists will generally be awarded to the responsive and responsible Artist or Artist team whose existing art sculpture is selected by the Sculpture Walk Committee. The selected Artist or Artist Team will be expected to enter into an agreement with the Walter E. Terhune Art Gallery for the one-year loan. The selected Artist or Artist team will be responsible for the installation and de-installation of the final work into existing concrete pads.

The Walter E. Terhune Art Gallery is open to all themes and styles of art as long as the sculptures do not contain any elements that are objectionable to the College. Owens Community College requires a more welcoming and interactive space outside the CFPA to enhance the campus environment and support the well-being of students, faculty, staff and the community. This space will play a critical role in building a stronger campus culture, fostering a sense of belonging and serving as a source of inspiration for various courses and programs. By integrating art in an outdoor space, this project addresses the need for accessible and engaging spaces that reflect the College’s commitment to creativity, inclusivity and academic excellence. This program is made possible through the support of the Ohio Arts Council.

Ohio Arts Council logo

Location and Dimension of Art Pads

The concrete pads will be installed in between the Center for Fine and Performing Arts (CFPA) building and the Healthcare Education Center around an existing pond. The Healthcare Education Center houses the largest group of students on campus, and the CFPA is the home of the Creative Arts and Media Department. The sculptures can scale from 5 feet tall to 12 feet tall.

The concrete pads will be 5-foot x 5-foot with a 6-inch thickness. The estimated weight capacity is 4,000 pounds.

Bird’s eye view of Healthcare Education Center (Left) and bird’s eye view of Center for Fine and Performing Arts
Bird’s eye view of Healthcare Education Center (Left) and bird’s eye view of Center for Fine and Performing Arts (Right).

 

Red boxes are the concrete pads and approximately where they will be installed around the pond.
Red boxes are the concrete pads and approximately where they will be installed around the pond.

Proposal Process

Interested parties must complete and submit the form below. The contact information must be one-hundred percent accurate and used regularly. The email address and phone number provided is how we will contact you regarding your submission. If any of the fields are not applicable, then state N/A.

Images of artwork must be uploaded and submitted below as part of the application process. The image files should be in HIGH QUALITY JPEG format, images should be no smaller than 1000 pixels in any direction (about 13”) and be exactly 72dpi. The average file size should range from 700kb to 2mb but this is only approximate. If you are submitting a video, motion, or interactive work, please upload the file below. Videos must be uploaded as MP4 files. A link to the video is acceptable if it is already available on a streaming site such as YouTube, Vimeo, etc. Hi-Res, print-quality images will be requested for accepted works for promotional use. A minimum of 3 files and a maximum of 5 files can be submitted.

Budget

Each selected Artist or Artist Team will be provided a $1,500 honorarium. The honorarium is intended to cover all expenses, including travel and artist-provided property insurance should the artist choose to have the artwork covered. Owens Community College is not responsible for property damage or loss for sculptures on loan to the Walter E. Terhune Art Gallery. This honorarium will be paid in full when the work is successfully installed. 

Sculpture Walk Committee and Selection Process

The Sculpture Walk Committee will review proposals and make the final decision of accepted sculptures. The committee’s decisions are based on the mission statements of the college, the Creative Arts and Media (CAM) department, and the Walter E. Terhune Art Gallery.

Evaluation Criteria

  • Design Aesthetic and Concepts: 75 Points
    1. Artistic merit of concept to include the meaning of the proposed sculptures and theme.
    2. Style and Appropriateness: Demonstrate that the sculptures are compatible in relation to the landscape.
    3. Diversity: Reflect the overall project goal to strive for diversity in style, scale, media and Artists working in traditional and contemporary art forms.
    4. Correlation to CAM (Creative Arts and Media) academic programs: Animation, Broadcast Media Technology, Commercial Art Concentration, Commercial Photography, Fine Art Concentration, Graphic Design, Music Business Technology, Music Education/Performance, Photography, Recording Production, Technical Theatre, Theatre, Visual Communication Technology
    5. Community Relevance and Engagement: Activities that can be connected to the sculptures.
  • Technical considerations: 25 points
    1. Feasibility: Including the Artist’s artistic history and experience in completing public art projects within the timeline and budget, as well as the sustainability of the sculpture.
    2. Safety and Maintenance: The sculpture should be durable, meet the requirements of insurance policies and be resistant to theft and/or vandalism. Materials should require minimal periodic maintenance.
    3. The Proposer must demonstrate experience in providing the type of Services requested in this Call to Artists.
    4. Written Proposals should be brief, presented in logical order, and contain the information requested herein and may be accompanied by any additional materials necessary to convey the appropriate experience. 

Artist Requirements Once Selected

  • Meetings and coordination with the Walter E. Terhune Art Gallery staff as needed to discuss aspects of sculptures: either via phone, virtual, or in person.
  • Provide proof of insurance if available.
  • Provide details on how the sculpture will be temporarily secured to the concrete pad.
  • Schedule installation date.
  • Transportation and off-truck loading of the sculpture to Owens Community College.
  • Installation and de-installation of the sculpture.

Next Steps

  • Submit Application.
  • Presentation and/or Meeting with Sculpture Walk Committee (if needed).
  • Sculpture Walk Committee ranks applications.
  • Notification to Artist(s).
  • Enter into a mutually acceptable agreement.
  • Sculpture Installed (TENTATIVE May 2026).
Submit Application

Eligibility Criteria

Artists are NOT eligible who are immediate family or business partners of Owens Community College staff.

Important Dates

  • January 10, 2026
    • Final Day for Artwork Submissions
  • February 6, 2026
    • Selected Sculptures Announced
  • May 1-7, 2026
    • Install Sculptures
  • June 27- 30, 2027
    • Sculptures Removed
    • 2027 Sculptures Installed