Entries sought for National Outdoor Sculpture Competition & Exhibition

Sculpture artists from across the nation are invited to participate in the ninth annual National Outdoor Sculpture Competition & Exhibition. Up to 14 sculptures will be juried into the exhibit and compete for cash prizes totaling up to $16,250. The exhibition is presented as a component of the annual North Charleston Arts Festival, to be held May 2-10. The application is only available online and may be accessed via the link at NorthCharlestonArtsFest.com/apply. Deadline for submissions is Feb. 25.

Organized and presented by the City of North Charleston Cultural Arts Department, this 11-month exhibition offers established and emerging artists the opportunity to display their thought-provoking, extraordinary sculptures throughout the picturesque North Charleston Riverfront Park. Set on the banks of the Cooper River, Riverfront Park features 10 acres of walking paths, a boardwalk and fountain, an expansive lawn with performance pavilion, children’s play areas, and picnic sites. An estimated 50,000 people visit this public park annually to enjoy the amenities located in the heart of the city’s arts community.

Brad Thomas, Director of Residencies & Exhibitions at the McColl Center in Charlotte, N.C., will jury this year’s exhibit. Thomas recently served as Curator of Modern & Contemporary Art for Charlotte’s Mint Museum where he led advances in the Museum’s collection. In addition, he organized residencies for Japanese installation artist Motoi Yamamoto and FECUND, the multi-disciplinary work of John W. Love, Jr. Thomas served on the Mecklenburg County Public Art Commission for five years and was chair of that commission from 2008-10. Prior to the Mint, Thomas was the director and curator of the Van Every/Smith Galleries at Davidson College. Thomas’ partnership with the College Writing Program in 2012 led to the release of Davidson Collects: 100 Writers Respond to Art, the first interdisciplinary book on Davidson College’s permanent art collection.

The 9th Annual National Outdoor Sculpture Competition & Exhibition will be on display May 1, 2014, through March 24, 2015, at North Charleston Riverfront Park, located at 1001 Everglades Avenue in North Charleston. A free public reception and announcement of awards will be held at the Charleston Area Convention Center on May 2. For more information, contact the City of North Charleston Cultural Arts Department at (843) 740-5854, email culturalarts@northcharleston.org, or visit NorthCharlestonArtsFest.com.

Images:  The 2013 National Outdoor Sculpture Competition & Exhibition, which is on display until March 23, 2014.

Via: City of North Charleston Cultural Arts Department