Smoky Hill River Festival Art Installation Call

The Smoky Hill River Festival takes place in Salina, KS, over 4 magical days each June. Artists are commissioned to create original art installations or experiences that engage festivalgoers in unexpected ways. This is an all-ages celebration of music, fine arts, crafts, and food.

Proposals should reflect community celebration, prioritize accessibility, respond to the scale of Oakdale Park, and complement the park’s landscape and architecture. This is a RAIN OR SHINE event. The infrastructure and environment can inspire site-specific installations as well as stand-alone, larger-than-life sculptures. On-site features such as trees, chain-link fencing, grassy areas, pedestrian footbridges, and winding sidewalks are some of the built and natural environments to consider.

Proposals can range from large-scale sculpture, kinetic works, installations, live painting, interactive, all-ages experiences, wearable art, new media/experimental projects, and overhead hanging installations. 

We invite you to bring your creative concepts to life at Salina’s Annual Smoky Hill River Festival. Each year, the festival commissions’ artists to create unique works of art or experiences to engage festival participants in unexpected ways. Nearly 60,000 people attend this multi-disciplinary celebration of the arts, highlighting music, fine arts, crafts, and food. The four-day event offers entertainment for all ages and retains its reputation as one of the Midwest’s most extraordinary cultural events. Learn more about the event on our website, https://www.riverfestival.com/

Projects should respond to the spirit of community celebration, the need for audience accessibility, the scale of the surroundings, and the aesthetic qualities of the park’s natural landscape and existing architecture. 

Purchase and reproduction rights reserved by the Smoky Hill River Festival and credits as agreed upon by both parties.

The Atmosphere

THIS IS A RAIN OR SHINE EVENT in historic Oakdale Park, providing the perfect setting for a myriad of site-specific creative projects in an outdoor space. Using the natural park features and infrastructure are a springboard for inspiration. New artists applying should schedule an on-site visit or zoom meeting with the visual arts coordinator in order to determine the installation or performance location(s). Consider some of the following features as you brainstorm.

• Trees
• Chain-link fencing
• Grassy landscape
• Pedestrian footbridges
• Sidewalks winding through the park

We are looking for a variety of disciplines to include:

• Large scale sculpture
• Kinetic works
• Art installation
• Live painting
• Interactive experiences appropriate for all ages
• Wearable art
• New media and experimental
• Overhead hanging installation

* Digital media and lighting are encouraged, but the event occurs mainly during daylight hours. Illuminated or digital displays may not have the same impact as an indoor or nighttime presentation.

Electricity

• Electrical access is limited and may limit the installation location choices within the park. Electrical requirements MUST be included in your project proposal. Please be as specific as possible, including your plug configuration and power load. A request does not guarantee access.

Review

Proposals are reviewed on a rolling basis as received. The festival coordinators make proposal selections based on artistic merit and potential for public interaction. Safety in design and installation is a key consideration with the number of attendees and the potential scope of public interaction with the artworks.

Proposals may be considered ideal for upcoming years, 2027, 2028, or 2029, depending on available space and budget availability. Artists may consider a multi-year project that evolves over a two or three-year span. 

All projects are subject to approval by the City of Salina's risk management department.

Installation timeline – each year the Festival runs from Thursday to Sunday.

• Installation completed on site by noon, Thursday, opening day.
• Thursday, at 4 pm. Gates OPEN
• Sunday, at 4 pm. Festival CLOSES.

*INSTALLATIONS REMOVED FROM THE PARK BY THE END OF THE DAY.

*Artists or teams are fully responsible for transportation and installation of the proposed work. The Festival DOES NOT supply volunteers or an installation crew.

Artist Perks

• Lodging accommodations
• On-site Artist’s hospitality
• Free Reserved parking

Your proposal should include the following information.

• Artist(s) name(s)
• Company name (if applicable)
• Title of the installation/activity/roving act
• Concept statement (250 words max).
• Description of the installation to include technical needs such as electrical, mechanical, and safety.
• Visual representation (sketches, diagrams, or renderings). Up to five images at 300 dpi.
• Links to videos.
• Project budget, suggested not to exceed $2,000, including materials, production, labor costs, installation, and de-installation of work.

*All artists are required to complete an on-site visit with the Visual Arts Coordinator before the final proposal review is completed. Alternate arrangements are made if an on-site visit is not possible in advance of submission. 

• A brief artist biography (200 words max).
• Curriculum Vitae highlighting relevant experience and exhibitions.

Eligibility & Submission Guidelines

• Applicants must be 18 years of age or older.
• Proposals may be submitted by an individual or team.
• Works must be original, created, or adapted for the Festival.
• Artworks must be structurally sound…designed to function in sun, rain, or wind, and designed for the public realm.
• This Festival is put on by the Salina Arts & Humanities, a department of the City of Salina; all projects, images, and activities must be family-friendly.