Call Description

The mission of the Art in the Heart of Farmington, NM is to promote sculpture as a public art form that enhances Downtown Farmington and promotes artists from the four states of New Mexico, Colorado, Arizona, and Utah.  Sculptures will be installed along Main Street in the Historic Downtown Corridor.  Pieces must be able to withstand weather typical in the SW region of the United States for a period of one year and be sized to show well in an outdoor, public space.  Up to 25 sculptures will be chosen by a juror to be displayed for a period of one year and made available for sale.  The selected artists will receive a $1,000 honorarium after installation.

In addition, all selected artists from out of town, will receive lodging for two nights on May 7th, 8th or 9th, 2026, depending on the date of their installation.  A reception for the selected artists will be held on Friday, May 8th, 2026.

Artwork Selection Criteria

Quality: The highest priority is the artistic excellence of the art.  All artwork submitted must be an original creation by the artist.

Timelessness: All art submitted for consideration should be viewed as a possible long-term acquisition and as such, it should have relevance to the community in future years and reflect enduring artistic quality.

Permanence: Sculpture shall have structural and surface soundness, be resistant to theft, vandalism, and weathering and require minimal maintenance as this is an outdoor public art exhibit.

Compatibility: Works of art should be compatible in style, scale, material, form and content with the Farmington Downtown area and have a broad range of appeal to the general public.

Public Safety: Works of art shall not create inordinate safety problems or liability problems for the general public, the Downtown District, or the City of Farmington.

Our Juror: Rosemary Meza - DesPlas

Rosemary Meza-DesPlas is a multidisciplinary Latina/Coahuiltecan artist based in Farmington, New Mexico. She holds a BFA from the University of North Texas and an MFA from the Maryland Institute College of Art. In 2022, she received the Latinx Artist Fellowship from the Mellon and Ford Foundations and a Fulcrum Fund Grant supporting new performance work.

Her artwork has been exhibited nationally at venues including the Museum of Sonoma County, Marin Museum of Contemporary Art, 516 ARTS, and the New Mexico Museum of Art, as well as internationally in China, the United Kingdom, Germany, and South Korea. Her work is represented in public collections such as the Ackland Art Museum, Art Museum of Southeast Texas, and Mexic-Arte Museum.

A former professor of art at El Centro College in Dallas, Meza-DesPlas is active in the College Art Association, Textile Society of America, and Women’s Caucus for Art. She is featured in Aquí & Allá: Conversations with Creators from México and the USA (PROArtes México, 2024).

Artist Notification: Artists chosen by our juror will be notified the week of February 22nd, 2026 as to their selection status.

Application Requirements

• Each application must be submitted with a minimum of three and a maximum of five images and may include an optional video, for the same piece of art.
• Each artist may submit up to three applications (pieces of sculpture) with an application fee of $25.00 each.
• An Artist's statement about each piece,  a resume or CV and a head shot should be included to be used for promotion on the City of Farmington web page,
• Information on each sculpture should include: sculpture title, materials, size (height, width, depth and weight), any special installation requirements, value of sculpture and sales price (an Installation Requirements form will be provided to all selected artists).
• Each application must be submitted via the CaFE website at www.callforentry.org.

Eligibility Criteria

Artists from any of the four states comprising the Four Corners region are eligible, New Mexico, Colorado, Utah and Arizona.

Now in its 4th year, the Art in the Heart sculpture program continues to grow.  Established in 2023, it has brought a wide range of artistic talent to Historic Downtown Farmington, showcasing regional talent and providing residents and visitors the opportunity to experience an award winning outdoor exhibit of sculpture.

In 2025, the New Mexico Recreation and Parks Association recognized the Art in the Heart sculpture program with their Arts & Humanities award.