8th Biennial Ocala Outdoor Sculpture Competition

About the Open Call

Exhibition dates: January 21, 2026 – January 31, 2028 (2 years) Deadline: Monday, August 25, 2025 Honorarium: $4,000 Delivery : in person, no shipping Location : Tuscawilla Park and Art Park, 829 NE Sanchez Ave, Ocala, FL 34470 The City of Ocala Cultural Arts invites artists to submit existing sculptures for the 8th Biennial Ocala Outdoor Sculpture Competition. This outdoor exhibition offers established and emerging sculptors an opportunity to display their work at Tuscawilla Park and Art Park in Ocala, Florida. Up to ten works will be selected for display from January 2026 to January 2028. Selected artists will receive a $4,000 honorarium to help offset transportation and installation costs. Description: The City of Ocala Cultural Arts creates opportunities for public art to transform ordinary spaces into destinations. The goal of our Public Art Program is to increase accessibility of the arts as well as to foster creativity, discovery, and thoughtfulness among our citizens and visitors. The selected sculptures will be displayed in Tuscawilla Park, considered the “crown jewel” of Ocala’s parks spanning 45-acres, and the adjacent Tuscawilla Art Park, bridging Ocala’s downtown and midtown areas. The Tuscawilla Sculpture Stroll will celebrate these newly installed works on Saturday, February 21, 2026. An awards jury will select Best in Show, Second Place, and Honorable Mention and present the respective awards of $2,000, $1,000, and $500. Attendees of the event will also vote for their favorite work and grant the People’s Choice Award of $1,000. Timeline: Applications due: Monday, August 25, 2025 (11:59 p.m. PT) Notification of Acceptance: Monday, October 13, 2025 Installation: January 12 – 21, 2026 Opening Reception and Tuscawilla Sculpture Stroll with awards: Saturday, February 21, 2026 Deinstallation: January 31 – February 4, 2028 Artist Responsibilities: Selected artists must send sculpture’s weight, anchoring system, and specific installation instructions for coordinating with City of Ocala staff for installation/deinstallation. City of Ocala staff will be able to assist and supply concrete pads along with some equipment during installation/deinstallation. Artists are responsible for transporting and delivering their sculptures to the specific site on the specified date. Artists will be responsible for any repairs needed due to fabrication defects or reasonable wear and tear of the object in a public location. Insurance: The City of Ocala will provide insurance for the work up to its stated value or $15,000, whichever is less, for theft or total loss once installed. Artists are encouraged but not required to secure liability insurance. Artists without liability insurance will be required to complete an insurance waiver with the City of Ocala. Sales : Sales of work are encouraged during the display period. The City of Ocala will retain 30% commission from sales of artwork. All sculptures must remain on site for the entirety of the two-year exhibition duration.

What is Offered

$4,000 honorarium to offset transportation and installation costs. Potential awards include $2,000 for Best in Show, $1,000 for Second Place, $500 for Honorable Mention, and $1,000 for the People’s Choice Award. Sales of work are encouraged during the display period, with the City of Ocala retaining a 30% commission.

Requirements

Applicants must be United States residents (excluding Alaska and Hawaii) and at least 18 years of age, with experience in designing, fabricating, and installing large outdoor public art. Works must be fully completed or guaranteed complete three months prior to installation, structurally sound, safe, and able to withstand an outdoor, unsupervised, high-foot-traffic public park environment, including Ocala’s subtropical climate (high humidity, temperatures, UV index, heavy rains, hurricane force winds) for two years. Sculptures must be maintenance-free for the loan duration, avoid rust and fading, and have been completed in the last five years (no earlier than 2020). Previously displayed works in this competition are not eligible. Artists must contract with the City of Ocala and obtain liability insurance or complete a waiver. Work must be delivered and retrieved in person by the artist or a representative, and firmly secured to provided concrete pads with 5/8” anchor bolts or a City-approved anchoring system.

How to Apply

Artists may submit up to three existing sculptures for consideration, providing a minimum of three and a maximum of twenty high-quality images. Required application materials include an artist resume, artist statement corresponding to the submitted work, and a document detailing the work's title, date of creation, medium, dimensions, weight, and value. Submitted works must meet specific criteria regarding structural integrity, safety, durability in Ocala’s subtropical climate, and completion within the last five years. Selected artists are responsible for transporting and delivering their sculptures in person to the site for installation and retrieving them after deinstallation.