artss in the open 2024

This public sculpture competition was created to bring fine art to the parks and public spaces throughout the city of Sandy Springs, the second largest city in the metropolitan Atlanta area. Nine sculptures will be prominently displayed around the four-acre green at City Springs, the City’s town center. One or more sculptures from each competition will be purchased by the City to be permanently placed in public locations around Sandy Springs.

In 2019, in partnership with ARTSS, the City launched the Arts in the Open Sculpture Competition at City Springs. The competition not only provides a showcase at City Springs, but the selection of pieces from each round has also transformed green spaces throughout the City into mini urban outdoor galleries.

Sculpture Installation: August 12 – 16, 2024

Artwork terms:

• All entries shall be existing works, completed prior to submission. No incomplete artwork will be considered.
• Artwork shall be suitable for outdoor public display and be of high artistic quality as well as safe for an active pedestrian environment and appropriate for viewers of all ages.
• Artwork must require only minimal maintenance, if any, and be able to withstand the effects of weather, be as resistant as possible to vandalism, and be able to withstand pedestrian contact.
• Artwork shall be undamaged and unblemished. Artwork must be fabricated and finished with non-hazardous materials.
• Artwork will be on loan to the city of Sandy Springs during the exhibition period and may be available for sale to the public. If a sculpture sells, the artwork cannot be removed before the end of the exhibition period. There will be a 20% commission paid to Art Sandy Springs for pieces purchased by entities other than the city of Sandy Springs.
• It is the artist’s responsibility to deliver and oversee installation of their sculpture and to be present for the sculpture’s removal at the end of the exhibition. Artwork cannot be shipped as there is no available storage space or staff available for this purpose.
• All artwork shall be structurally able to be secured to a concrete pad with anchor bolts. Concrete pads are provided for the display of each sculpture. The anchoring method will be approved by the city engineer. For selected artwork, each artist will be required to submit detailed information relating to the proposed anchoring method and provide any and all mounting bolts and hardware. Attachment B provides diagrams with location, dimensions, and weight capacity.