— Photo by Sara Hall ©
The City of Newport Beach has announced a call for entries for Phase VI of its ongoing Invitational Sculpture Exhibition to further activate the splendor of the City’s Civic Center Park.
Artists, private collectors, galleries, and museums/non-profit institutions are invited to submit artworks for consideration for a temporary exhibition at the site.
Up to 10 artworks may be selected and showcased for two years in the heart of Newport Beach in Civic Center Park. The 14-acre, ocean-view site was specially designed by renowned landscape architect Peter Walker as an intended sculpture garden.
Selected artworks will remain on display for approximately two years with installation planned in June 2021 and de-installation scheduled for June 2023.
The Civic Center Park has developed into a destination for residents and visitors to gather for events and activities including summer concerts on the lawn, art shows, docent-led sculpture park tours, visits to the dog park, or leisurely walks along the park’s winding trail, appreciating its environmentally-friendly expanse of native plant life.
As home to City Hall, City administrative offices, and the Central Branch of the city’s public library system, the Civic Center is the heart of Newport Beach.
This is a unique opportunity to display artworks in a serene, ocean-view setting made to be beautified by sculpture. This exhibition has consistently delighted and enriched visitors with the works of world-class artists both local and national.
The application deadline is December 8, 2020. For details, visit https://artsoc.slideroom.com/#/login/program/56700.
Please direct all questions to Nicholas Thurkettle, Program Coordinator, ArtsOC, at (714) 556-5160 x 14 or nthurkettle@artsoc.org.
Sculpture Exhibition Calendar/Guidelines
- The work submitted is the original creation of the identified artist, and all credited collaborators/co-creators are identified in the submission
- The work submitted exists in complete, installation-ready form AS OF THE TIME OF THE SUBMISSION. Proposals, renderings, miniatures, general work portfolios and other unfinished work states will be marked ineligible and not presented to the jury.
- The work is unique, rather than a replica or one of a series of identical works.
- The work will be available for installation during the window of June 1-11, 2021, and available for ongoing display for the entire Exhibition period.
- The work is physically located inside the United States at the time of submission. Shipping and insurance costs from outside the U.S. are incompatible with the limits of the honorarium.
- The artist has prepared an estimated budget for transportation of the work that is compatible with the limits of the honorarium.
- If the work is selected for installation by the City, that is the work that will be delivered. Substitution of other works is prohibited.
About the Exhibition
The exhibition will locate up to 10 sculptures throughout the 14-acre Civic Center Park. The Artist Selection Committee will site and install some artworks on predetermined concrete pads and determine the positioning of the remaining sculptures after careful review of their interactive and visual properties. In most cases, the artworks will be installed on a concrete pad raised approximately 4” above ground or affixed to concrete footings flush with the ground. Depending upon the nature of their design, some works may be installed in such a manner that they come into direct contact with the ground.
If there are any special requirements for installing the artwork (e.g. requires a raised plinth, cannot touch the ground, etc.), these must be explained on the submission form. Similarly, if any images of the artwork in the submission display bases, plinths, or other structural elements associated with display or installation, the submission must explain whether these will be provided with the artwork, and their dimensions and weight also provided.
Selection Honorarium
Selected artists will receive an honorarium of between $2,500 and $6,000 in exchange for a two-year loan of their artwork. Honoraria will be determined at the sole discretion of the Selection Committee depending on the artist’s preliminary budget, complexity of the project, weight, and size.
The honorarium shall be used to cover transportation of the artwork to and from the exhibition site, structural engineering documents (if required,) any insurance needed or desired for artwork transport and display, and fees for on-site availability during installation and removal. No other fees or expense reimbursements are offered. Artists will receive half of the honorarium upon signing the contract and the second half of the payment after de-installation.
Selected artworks will remain on display for approximately two years with installation planned in June 2021 and de-installation scheduled for June 2023.
The Newport Beach Arts Commission will host an opening reception luncheon for the exhibition on June 12, 2021. Participating artists are encouraged, though not required, to attend. Exhibited artists will also be invited to talk about their work during a public forum. The City plans to distribute information about the exhibition to the news media, to conduct tours, and to create a self-guided smartphone audio tour. Participating artists will, for promotional usage, submit brief explanatory statements about their artwork, in writing, and participate in audio recording sessions for self-guided tours and educational activities, as possible.
Exhibition Phase VI Timeline
- September 8, 2020: Open Applications
- December 8, 2020: Submission deadline
- December 10, 2020 – January 10, 2021: Jury Review and Public Comment/Survey period
- January 14, 2021: Arts Commission Meeting In consultation with outside jurors and program consultants, along with review of public comment and non-binding survey results, the Arts Commission approves 10 works as Recommended Finalists and 3-5 Alternates
- January 15, 2021: ArtsOC advises submitting artists of their status. Recommended Finalists must undergo review of eligibility/availability of the work and an initial installation consultation, along with completion of a W9 form in case an honorarium is awarded
- February 9, 2021: Newport Beach City Council Meeting. Arts Commission’s official 10 Recommended works presented for City Council approval
- February 10, 2021: Selected artists officially notified
- March 12, 2021: Official city contracts sent to selected artists via FedEx
- April 12, 2021: Confirm that all artist contracts are received and delivered to city
- May TBA, 2021: Any necessary new concrete display pads poured
- June 1-11, 2021: Installation of artwork
- June 12, 2021: Opening reception luncheon
