CALL TO ARTISTS FOR OUTDOOR SCULPTURE

Application Submission Deadline: Friday, June 12, 2026, by 11:59 p.m. (Central Standard Time)
Application Fee: No Entry Fee Free for MSA Professional and Student Members/$40 for non-members.

Overview

Mid-South Sculpture Alliance (MSA), and the Department of Art & Design at The University of Central Arkansas (UCA), Conway invites artists to submit work to be installed in an outdoor exhibition on the UCA campus in Art Alley. The exhibition reception will be held during MSA’s Confab, October 2-3, 2026.

The 2026 MSA Confab call for entries welcomes submissions from locally, regionally, and nationally exhibiting artists. The sculptures selected for 2026 will be exhibited in the Art Alley between the Windgate Center for the Fine & Performing Arts and the Windgate 3D Building along the pedestrian walkway. The five selected sculptures will be on display in the Art Alley from September 1, 2026, to August 31, 2027.

About Mid-South Sculpture Alliance and Confab

The Mid-South Sculpture Alliance is dedicated to advancing the creation and awareness of sculpture in its many forms. We promote a supportive environment for sculptors and seek to foster dialogue between artists, art professionals, and the wider community.

MSA Confab 2026 is a mini-conference designed to initiate intimate conversations, networking, knowledge-building, professional development, for sculptors in a supportive, informal environment.

About the Department of Art & Design at the University of Central Arkansas

The Department of Art & Design views educational achievement as both an individual and collective responsibility. We offer outstanding faculty, facilities, and resources, working in partnership with students to develop intellectual flexibility, visionary thinking, and creative responsiveness across disciplines. We graduate leaders prepared to engage in art and design, inspire innovative growth in their communities, and participate in their chosen creative disciplines.

About Art Alley

The Art Alley is an outdoor exhibition space located between the two Windgate buildings on the campus of the University of Central Arkansas, in Conway. The Alley has five raised concrete bases (48”x48”x 14”) that are lit at night and have power available on site for other lighting or power needs of exhibited sculptures.

Selection Process

Up to five sculptures will be selected by The University of Central Arkansas Public Art Committee. The selection committee of representatives from The University of Central Arkansas Public Art Committee include administrators, diverse faculty, a Student Government Association representative, the gallery director, and a community representative. This committee will make exhibition selections from submitted digital entries and determine the locations for each sculpture. Notifications of selected works will be emailed to all entrants by June 19, 2026.

Join us on the MSA Youtube Channel to hear from members of the UCA Public Art Committee about Art Alley
and their insights for jurying this exhibition 

Eligibility

The public call is open to artists aged 18 and older at the time of application submission.

Honorarium

Each selected artist will receive a stipend of $2,000 per sculpture to offset travel and transportation costs.

$1,000 will be paid upon successful delivery and installation. And $1,000 upon successful removal of the sculpture. Artists are responsible for any removal and storage fees incurred after August 31, 2027. All travel; lodging and transportation arrangements are the responsibility of the artist.

Exhibition Guidelines

The MSA ConFab submission process is open to U.S. residents aged 18 years and older. All applications must be received by the application deadline. Late or incomplete entries will not be considered.

Sculptors may enter up to three existing works per application with up to three views per work. All works must have been completed within the last five years (i.e. on or after May 29. 2021).

Approximately five works will be chosen for installation for a one-year period. Selected works must remain on loan from September 1, 2026, through August 31, 2027 and will be exhibited at the discretion of the selection committee of The University of Central Arkansas Public Art Committee. The selected works must be able to be exhibited and remain on loan from the artist from September 1, 2026, through August 31, 2027, and must not require maintenance during that time.

All work must be suitable for outdoor installation and durable enough to withstand adverse weather conditions, including high winds, extreme temperatures, rain, snow, and ice.

Works must be professionally constructed of durable materials, with no fragile elements and must be suitable enough for exterior public display.

The Art Alley site has moderate to heavy pedestrian traffic. All works must prioritize safety and be securely attached to a durable steel mounting plate or other appropriate system for anchoring to a 48” x 48” concrete surface.

MSA and UCA can provide equipment and personnel for installation assistance. Specific installation dates will need to be arranged if a crane or lifting device is required. Please indicate whether a crane is needed in the application.

MSA and the Department of Art & Design at UCA reserve the right to document all submitted work for educational and publicity purposes without additional compensation.

Shipping and Delivery

The exhibition opens September 1, 2026. Artists are responsible for all shipping and delivery to and from the installation site during the scheduled installation dates (August 1-31, 2026), and de-installation dates (September 1, 2027-October 1, 2027).

All installation and removal must be pre-arranged by appointment. Artists who cannot meet these requirements will not be considered or may forfeit part of their honorarium.

All artwork will be inspected upon arrival. Work that is misrepresented , unsafe, structurally unsound may be excluded at the discretion of MSA and UCA with compensation.

Sales and Commission

Exhibited works may be for sale during the exhibition period but must remain on site for the duration of the exhibition. Mid-South Sculpture Alliance will receive a 15% commission on sales managed through MSA. The artist will receive the remaining 85%.

Insurance

Neither MSA nor UCA provide liability insurance for artwork. Artists may obtain their own insurance but must provide proof at installation if applicable.

Commitment

Submission of an application constitutes agreement with all conditions outlined in this prospectus. Substitutions for accepted works are not permitted.

Schedule

June 12, 2026 – Application deadline- by 11:59 p.m. (Central Standard Time)

June 19, 2026 – Notice of acceptance to artists via email

June 26, 2026 – Deadline to acceptance invitation

August 1 – August 31, 2026 – Installation (by appointment)

August 1 – August 14, 2026 – Tentative crane installation window.

September 1, 2026 – August 31, 2027 – Exhibition dates

October 2, 2026 – Reception.

September 1 – October 1, 2027 – Deinstallation

Entry Procedure

Artists may submit up to three completed outdoor sculptures, with up to three images per piece and a corresponding image list. Applications must be received by 11:59 p.m. (CST) on the deadline date. a total of three views per piece and a corresponding image list. Images must be 300 DPI, with a maximum dimension of 1024 pixels and saved as JPEGs.

Application Materials:

Images of work

• JPEG format, 300 DPI, max 1024
• Up to 3 works (no proposals)
• Up to 3 images per work
• One image showing mounting method/diagram

Image List

Include title, year completed, medium, size, weight, and installation requirements

Artist Statement

250-500 word statement

File Naming

• LAST-NAME_FIRST-NAME _ ENTRY# _TITLE.jpg
• LAST-NAME_FIRST-NAME_IMAGE-LIST.pdf
• LAST-NAME_FIRST-NAME_ARTIST-STATEMENT.pdf

Entries that do not follow the image guidelines may be excluded.

Questions

For installation inquires, contact Dr. Bryan W. Massey, Sr. at (501) 450-5791 or bryanm@uca.edu

For application questions, additional questions regarding the MSA Confab Sculpture Exhibition application process should contact Chelsea Moulder at chelseajeannemoulder@gmail.com

Apply Here