Sculpture Missoula announces a call for up to five sculptures for the inaugural opening of a sculpture garden in Silver Park, one of Missoula’s most picturesque and beloved public parks.  The 15-acre park is situated on the banks of the Clark Fork River adjacent to downtown, on a historic site previously used as a sawmill. Sculpture will be placed along the meandering paths of the park that is linked to the city’s trail system and easily accessed by visitors to Missoula and the city’s neighborhoods. 

This sculpture exhibition is made possible via an Agreement with the City of Missoula, through its Parks and Recreation Department, to install sculptures in Silver Park per terms that recognize the integrity and importance of the park, ensure the safety of the public and public property, and are ADA accessible.    

Silver Park is a beautiful outdoor destination located right in the heart of Missoula. The park offers a variety of recreational activities for visitors to enjoy, including hiking/biking trails, architecturally unique picnic shelters, boat launch, parking, accessible public restrooms, and scenic views. The park has a unique history as it was the site of a working lumber mill for nearly a century. Once the epicenter of Missoula’s commerce, the mill was abandoned in the early 1990’s, and after an enormous community effort the site was repurposed. Many of the materials from the old mill were re-purposed including deconstructing some of the abandoned buildings to build picnic shelters in the park. After more than a decade of planning and redevelopment, the community park was inaugurated in 2014, and now serves as a gem in Missoula’s public landscape, and the perfect place for a sculpture park!

Missoula is a cultural haven with a vibrant art scene, nestled in a picturesque valley where three rivers meet and surrounding mountains offer endless outdoor activities.  It is also the home of the University of Montana. 

This program invites artists to exhibit their work for a two-year period. Artists will be paid a $2,000 stipend and in addition receive $250 for shipping/travel expenses plus accommodation for two nights for receptions occurring during the early September 2025 installation of all works. All work will be for sale during the two year period. If sold, Sculpture Missoula will receive a 20% commission. Artists are responsible for removing sculpture that has not sold by the end of August 2027. 

We encourage submissions of various styles and materials. All durable exterior materials (stone, ceramic, metal, etc.) will be considered, however, maintenance free work with precautions against vandalism is preferred.  The piece should be structurally sound and designed in concert with advice from a structural engineer to mitigate liability if needed. Artists must indicate a sound strategy for installing artwork into the park. Installation activities must have minimal impact on site disturbance and park activities.

Sculpture Missoula will regularly bring public attention to the displayed sculptures via in-person tours, civic events, website promotion and QR codes displayed on each sculpture that will bring users to our featured artist window on our website. 

2025 Timetable:

May 15: Submission deadline

June 15: Anticipated jury selection and artist notification.

Week of September 8: Installation

September 11: Artist reception

Application Requirements

• Application Form: A completed form must be submitted for each work entered.
• Resume/Curriculum Vitae
• Biography: A short biography that will be used on our website and other media posts for accepted artists. Not to exceed 250 words.
• Images: An electronic image of each entry is required. JPEG format is preferred. In addition, 3-5 photographs of each work should accompany the application. Videos are also acceptable.

Eligibility Criteria

Selection Criteria:

• Artistic Merit:  Submissions are expected to be of high-quality, demonstrate originality, artistic excellence and vision.
• No work will be accepted that advocates for a specific religion or political party.
• All work must be durable and able to withstand Missoula’s climate—wind, rain, snow, and below zero temperatures.
• The work must not have features that could cause injury to a person coming in contact with it.
• All work must be available for the two year duration of the exhibit period and must be available for delivery and installation the week of  September 8, 2025. Anticipated public reception is scheduled for September 11. All artists must be present for installation.