Art on the Street 2027 Call for Outdoor Sculptures

Exhibit your sculpture outdoors in Lafayette, Colorado in 2027. The honorarium is $1,200 for a one-year installation. While on display, your piece will garner ongoing positive exposure in our arts-centric, Creative, Diverse, Eclectic downtown. As we enter our 19th year, we have 21 Art on the Street sculpture locations to fill. The deadline for this call is October 22, 2026.

The City of Lafayette and Public Art Committee are committed to community representation through the support of diverse public artists and artworks in the Art on the Street Program. We seek diversity in materials, subject matter, the artists, and the stories they are telling. 

Dates:

• Entries are due October 22, 2026
• The Public Art Committee will make its selections in November 2026
• Artists will be notified in December 2026
• Installation April 19-22, 2027
• Reception and Awards Ceremony October 16, 2027 (tentative)
• Uninstall April 2028

Exhibit your sculpture outdoors in downtown Lafayette, Colorado for one year.  Artists who participate in Lafayette's Art on the Street (AOTS) sculpture on loan program tell us that we are one of the best programs they've experienced. We feature each sculpture on its own web page and brochures are printed in English and Spanish. If your sculpture is selected by the Public Art Committee the honorarium is $1,200 for a one year installation.  
Three additional prizes are awarded each year: the $1000 Jean Mellblom Award for Artistic Excellence; the $500 People's Choice Award; and the $500 Most Inspiring! Award.  As we enter our 19th year, we have 21 Art on the Street sculpture locations to fill. 
On average, 1-2 sculptures have been purchased from the AOTS program each year. 

To Enter:

• Only ONE sculpture per application.
• Submit 3-6 photos of one sculpture, on the same application.
• Photos from different sides and up close are encouraged.
• Artists may submit up to three applications/three sculptures.

The City of Lafayette and Public Art Committee are committed to community representation through the support of diverse public artists and artworks in the Art on the Street Program. We seek diversity in materials, subject matter, the artists, and the stories they are telling. 

The Public Art Committee will consider all submissions based on the artistic merit of the work, inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility.

Answering the application questions thoroughly will help the Public Art Committee make decisions that support these goals as they select the artworks for the Art on the Street exhibit. 

In addition to Art on the Street, Lafayette has over 60 pieces in our Permanent Collection, a community based, grassroots program with over 100 murals painted in our alleyways and neighborhoods, and a few unique exhibit spaces. Lafayette has built a solid reputation as an exciting arts destination and earned statewide recognition when we won the Governor’s Award for the Arts.  

Installations are scheduled for April 19-22, 2027.  Rain/snow alternate installation dates will be the following week. Under your supervision, and with your assistance, our installation crew will carefully and securely install your artwork to our steel pedestals or concrete pads with steel inserts. Our staff and crew will work with you to choose the best orientation for public viewing. We provide welding equipment, power drills, lifts, hardware, all tools and resources needed for a quality installation.

Our website will feature each sculpture in a Story Map for the Art on the Street collection. The Story Map includes a photo of the sculpture, a photo of the artist, information about purchase, and artist's artwork statement.  You may view past years’ AOTS collections at: www.lafayetteco.gov/AOTS .

In addition to online marketing, we hold a community engagement art contest each year called See & Respond! that highlights the Art on the Street sculptures.  
The See & Respond! Call for Entries encourages people to come SEE the sculptures and RESPOND in poetry, 2D art, and photography. The entries are displayed at our culminating event, the Art on the Street, See & Respond! Meet the Artists Reception held each year at the Lafayette Public Library in October. This is our official artists’ reception for Art on the Street and See & Respond! and includes an awards and recognition presentation. 

Dates:

• Entries are due October 22, 2026
• The Public Art Committee will make its selections in November 2026
• Artists will be notified in December 2026
• Installation April 19-22, 2027
• Reception and Awards Ceremony October 16, 2027 (tentative)
• Uninstall April 2028

Meet all guidelines as described.

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