Newport Beach Civic Center Sculpture Exhibition - Phase XI

The City of Newport Beach (City) announces a call for entries for Phase XI of its ongoing Sculpture Exhibition to further activate the splendor of its Civic Center Park. Up to ten artworks may be selected and showcased for three years in the 14-acre, ocean-view site designed by renowned landscape architect Peter Walker as an intended sculpture garden.

Artists, private collectors, galleries, and museums/non-profit institutions are invited to submit artworks for consideration to be installed from June 2027 to June 2030.

Please Note the Deadline Time - CaFE is set to Mountain Time, so submissions will close at 11:59pm Mountain on September 18, 2026 - which is 10:59pm on the West Coast. This cannot be changed.

The City of Newport Beach (City) announces a call for entries for Phase XI of its ongoing Sculpture Exhibition to further activate the splendor of its Civic Center Park. Up to ten artworks may be selected and showcased for three years in the 14-acre, ocean-view site designed by renowned landscape architect Peter Walker as an intended sculpture garden.

The Civic Center is the heart of Newport Beach - home to City Hall, administrative offices, and the spectacular Central Library building. And the Park welcomes residents and visitors year-round for free concerts on the lawn, art shows, docent-led sculpture tours, visits to the dog park, or leisurely trail walks among the environmentally-friendly native plant life.

The Sculpture Exhibition transforms Civic Center Park into a “museum without walls,” constantly evolving as new, bold contemporary works from world-class artists rotate through, delighting and enriching park visitors. Artists, private collectors, galleries, and museums/non-profit institutions are invited to submit artworks for consideration to be installed from June 2027 to June 2030.

For information about Civic Center Park   https://www.newportbeachca.gov/government/departments/library-services/cultural-arts/sculpture-in-civic-center-park-exhibition

SELECTION CRITERIA:

The City seeks a well-balanced exhibit of Public Art emphasizing a variety of styles, types, and sizes; and a diverse pool of artists. The City will determine specific installation sites for artworks within the Park grounds.  Site locations are subject to change and the City reserves the right to relocate exhibition sculptures within Civic Center Park without notice and at its sole discretion.

•    Artistic Merit: Artists shall have substantial professional qualifications, to be reflected in high-quality submissions which demonstrate originality and artistic excellence.

·         Artwork must be the original work of the identified artist or artists. Artworks, when installed, will be readily visible from the interpretive trails. Artworks should be suitable for viewing from all angles.

·         Artworks shall be appropriate for audiences of all ages.

•    Durability: The City will consider only artwork made of high-quality materials which can withstand the natural elements of coastal Southern California for a minimum of three years. Consideration will be given to structural and surface integrity, protection against theft and vandalism, and minimal maintenance requirements.

•    Meets Minimum Requirements: At the time of submission, artworks must be located in the United States, finished and installation-ready, and available for the duration of the exhibition period, available for delivery during the pre-determined installation period of June 1-19, 2027.

·         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.

•    Site Responsiveness: Artwork should be appropriate in scale, material, and content for the immediate, general, social, and physical environments to which they relate. Artworks will be installed in unsupervised areas and must not exhibit unsafe conditions or factors that may bear on public liability, as members of the public may come into contact with the works.

Artworks which incorporate sustainable strategies, demonstrate green processes or utilize green design, materials theories, and techniques are welcome, but not required.

APPLICATION MATERIALS:

•    Title of artwork
•    Very brief description of artwork (25-word maximum)
•    Practical physical description of the piece including: materials, accurate dimensions, weight, any special installation needs, other unique features
•    Estimated value of artwork
•    Current location of artwork
•    If relevant, Collection of [insert name here] OR Courtesy of [insert name here]
•    List of previous exhibition locations for the submitted work, if any
•    Has the proposed artwork been installed in an outdoor, public setting before? If not, how will you prepare the artwork for the outdoor, public installation at the Civic Center Park? Moisture, intense sunlight, and proximity to the salty ocean can all cause significant wear over three years
•    Why is the submitted artwork appropriate for the Civic Center Park?
•    What is your relevant public art experience?
•    Preliminary Budget to include: 1) Estimated round-trip transportation cost 2) Insurance cost 3) Artist’s fee. Budget total must not exceed honorarium of $7,500.
•    Resume/curriculum vitae (no more than two pages) including name, mailing address, phone number(s), email and website (if applicable), and relevant professional references* (*optional)
•    Between two (2) and four (4) images of the submitted artwork. Pictures should, as much as possible, show the work in focus and good, even light with minimal background distractions. At least one picture should capture the piece in full, and at least one should provide close-up detail. These images will be the primary focus for Selection Committee discussion and will represent your work in any public polling, so quality and clarity is imperative. Also, any images not of the submitted piece (e.g. other works by the artist,) will be removed from consideration.

- Artwork must arrive in the same condition as seen in submitted images. Artwork delivered that differs in any way from the submitted images may be subject to rejection and automatic termination of the Memorandum of Understanding & Loan Agreement at the sole discretion of the City of Newport Beach or its project contractor.

All applicants must be over the age of 18. This call is open to all professional artists and artist teams, private collectors, galleries, and museums/non-profit organizations, in any country. Submitted works, however, must be complete, in installation-ready condition, and physically located in the United States at the time of submission. The exhibition budget does not allow for the costs of overseas transportation.

Submissions of proposals, renderings, miniatures, general work portfolios, and other unfinished work states, or works mass-produced as part of a series, will be marked ineligible and not presented to the jury.

Submitted works must be available for delivery to the Newport Beach Civic Center Park site during the period of June 2027 for installation, and artist must be able to arrange for retrieval of the work at its deinstallation in June 2030, exact dates TBD.