Call Description

The City of Lewisville, Texas is seeking artwork submissions from artists who wish to exhibit outdoor sculptures as part of a rotating sculpture program in the courtyard of the Lewisville Grand Theater.

The Lewisville Grand Theater is a cultural beacon for Old Town Lewisville featuring performing and visual arts for all ages.  The City of Lewisville implemented a Public Art Master Plan in 2018 that was updated in 2024, which included the introduction of a rotating sculpture program to be featured in the courtyard of the Lewisville Grand Theater, a long under-used space.  A bare and uninviting space is currently under renovation that will include better lighting, bench seating, new hardscape, native plants and trees, a turf space in the center, and the addition of six grated pads for sculpture.  Construction is anticipated to be completed April 2026.

The City of Lewisville Arts Advisory Board seeks sculptures that are appropriate for public viewing and support the family-friendly atmosphere of the City of Lewisville.  All sculptures must be family appropriate and pose no risk to public safety.  Sculptures must be made of materials that can withstand the harsh Texas weather and require no maintenance by the City of Lewisville. 

For this inaugural year of the program, the Arts Advisory Board will select three sculptures for a two-year exhibition opportunity and up to three sculptures for a one-year exhibition opportunity.  

The City of Lewisville will award a $2,000 honorarium for each sculpture selected for the two-year term by the Board for the installation, exhibition, and removal of the artwork. There will be a $1,500 honorarium offered for the one-year term selections. Artists may note at the time of application if they are interested in one-year, two-year, or both length terms.

Sculptures will remain under the artist’s ownership, loaned to the City of Lewisville.  The artwork may be for sale for the duration of the exhibit with a 20% commission collected by the City of Lewisville if sold during its installation. It is preferred that sold artwork remains in the exhibition for the contracted time, but review and consideration for approval of suitable alternative work can be requested. The artist or artist representative is responsible for all details of the sales transaction and commission payment due to the City. The Artist is also responsible for arranging pick up of any sold work and installation of approved replacement with minimal support from the City.

This program is open to regional artists only, in the TX-OK-AR-LA region within reasonable driving distance to Lewisville, TX. The artist is responsible for all artwork transport, drop-off and pick-up, no additional travel or shipping funds are available.

 Location

Lewisville Grand Theater Courtyard

100 N. Charles St.

Lewisville, TX 75057

Objectives and Considerations

The Lewisville Public Arts Board aims to install sculptures that are diverse in style and media.  The board hopes to expose the local community to different types of art, increase tourism, and encourage visitors of the Lewisville Grand Theater to enjoy the courtyard by providing a dynamic and engaging exhibit.

The three main considerations are creativity, site appropriateness and durability. Artists may only propose finished and available works. The Selection Panel will not consider any conceptual drawings or renderings, however if a rendering of an available proposed work provides context, measurements, materials or any other important specifications, please provide this in your proposal.

Artworks considered to be interactive (e.g. touchable, reactive touch or other manipulation) must meet all local and state ADA requirements.

Materials and Media

Durability and Maintenance: The artworks should be fabricated of highly durable, low-maintenance materials. If interactive elements are part of the project, then replacement parts should be readily available or easily sourced for future replacement and maintenance. Staff will stay in close contact with the artist on the status of any maintenance or replacement needed throughout the term. This exhibit is outside and will be in the public realm and may therefore be exposed to physical stressors such as touching and potential climbing by center users (though not encouraged), as well as all types of weather including intense sun, wind, rain, and frozen precipitation. Artists with past projects that have successful long-term durability and proven maintenance potential (as informed by materials submitted and reference checks) are strongly encouraged to apply. All awarded public art contracts will be reviewed by the City to ensure conformity with city standards of maintenance and durability, as well as ADA standards.

Size: Artworks must have a base smaller than 5’ x 5’, must be less than 12’ tall and weigh less than 2,500 pounds to fit on custom 5’ x 5’ square sculpture pads, made of steel with a repeating grid pattern for bolts to anchor the artwork to the pad. Cantilever limits will also be reviewed by city engineers on a per-work basis.

Sites and Safety

While artistic quality is very important, works will be reviewed for durability, safety and appropriateness to the site. Artworks must be structurally sound and able to withstand an outdoor environment in a largely unsupervised area that is not protected from weather or curious viewers. Texas has extreme weather ranging from intense heat and sun to strong storms like tornadoes, as well as severe ice storms and cold temperatures.

All awarded public art contracts will be reviewed by the City to ensure conformity with city standards of maintenance and durability, as well as ADA standards.

Artist Responsibilities

• Selected artists must transport the artwork to the site on the specified date and install it with minimal assistance from City Staff, then remove the artwork after the exhibition.
• Make sure to indicate if the work is existing or conceptual at the time of the application submission. If it is not a finished work, provide additional information to assure the Selection Panel of what it will look like and that it will be completed and installed as designed on schedule.
• Provide all required artwork details as outlined in the application and below.

City Responsibilities

• The City may provide limited assistance with installation and removal of the artwork.
• Passively monitor the courtyard through security camera system.
• Create signage for each artwork to credit the artist.
• Marketing and promotion of the Rotating Sculpture Garden
• Occasionally, this space may be rented for public or private events with higher than usual traffic.  The City will aim to maintain and preserve the safety of the sculptures during these times.

Budget

A $2,000 honorarium shall be awarded for each piece for the installation, exhibition, and removal of the artwork for a two- year period. A $1,500 honorarium shall be awarded for each piece for the installation, exhibition, and removal of the artwork for a one- year period.  

One-half of the stipend will be provided to the artist upon selection (after completion of a city-vendor packet and execution of the loan agreement, and the remainder shall be paid upon successful installation. 

Additional award opportunity: The City of Lewisville will conduct a One Best in Show competition, through voting by patrons visiting the exhibition. This competition will be conducted during the first three months of the exhibition, and the winner will be awarded an additional $500.

This project is funded by the City of Lewisville’s Public Art Program.

Application Deadline:

Call will run through Jan. 31, 2026. Applications, resumes, images and other materials must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. on Jan. xx through CAFÉ or via alternative methods as outlined below.

Timeline:

Artists will be notified of works selected by March 1, 2026. 

Exhibition installation is currently expected to take place in Early April 2026, but is dependent on completion of the courtyard renovation.

Additional Background and Context for the Area

About Lewisville, Texas

Lewisville was formed in 1847 and incorporated in 1925. Located north of Dallas along Interstate 35E in the bustling DFW Metroplex, the city currently has a culturally diverse population of about 135,000 residents and is a major retail and employment center for the region. Key features include Lewisville Lake, the LLELA Nature Preserve, and historic Old Town Lewisville.

Lewisville Grand Theater

Lewisville Grand Theater is devoted to celebrating local artists as well as bringing in talent from throughout Texas and across the U.S. for the betterment and entertainment of the community. The building itself is a testament to that goal with its state-of-the-art performance hall, spacious black box theater, dance recital hall, beautiful art gallery, and versatile classroom spaces. Since its opening in 2011, The Grand has served as Southern Denton County's home for the visual and performing arts as well as a sought-after location for hosting a variety of educational, corporate, and social events.  

Artwork displayed at The Grand is often created by residents of Lewisville and the surrounding areas, featuring their assortment of talents through different mediums from seasonal chalk art murals to intriguing oil paintings and photography. The Art Gallery showcases many exhibitions each year and is a popular for visitors to Old Town Lewisville.

Lewisville Public Art Program

The City’s Public Art Master Plan was originally adopted in 2018, and updated in 2024. The plan sets out a vision for the role that public art can play in Lewisville’s future as a successful city. The City of Lewisville views the public art program as a valuable way to express civic pride, an extension of Lewisville’s commitment to provide residents and visitors with access to arts and cultural experiences, and a means to visually make strong connections to the city’s cultural and economic diversity. Adding art to public parks, greenspaces and other city facilities are key components to this plan..

Application Requirements

Application Requirements:

In response to this call, applicants will be asked to submit a Statement of Interest, up to eight total images of up to four artworks for the board to consider, a résumé or curriculum vitae (CV), a document providing the details for all submitted works (Title, Materials, Measurements (height x width x depth), Weight, Year Completed) and at least one professional reference (if available) via the CaFÉ™ online application system (www.callforentry.org).

Required Materials: Please read this section carefully. Incomplete applications will NOT be considered. The applicant’s name must appear on all materials submitted.

1. Statement of Interest – Please submit a statement outlining your interest in the project. Please include your experience working on projects of this kind. You may also include an explanation of ways your art has encouraged community engagement. Please name your file accordingly: Last Name.First Initial.Statement (i.e. Smith.J.Statement.pdf).

2. Digital Images and/or Video – Please submit up to eight total digital images and/or video of up to four artworks.

3. Résumé or CV – Please submit a current résumé or CV that highlights your professional accomplishments as an artist. Please name your file accordingly: Last Name.First Initial.Resume (i.e. Smith.J.Resume.pdf).

4. References – Please provide information for at least one professional reference, including their name, title, phone number and email address. Please provide the context in which the person knows you. Please name your file accordingly: Last Name.First Initial.References (i.e. Smith.J.References.pdf).

Process and expectations for finalist interviews: From these application materials, the selection panel will choose works to be included in this exhibition. Interviews or additional materials may be requested of semi-finalist artists or works. Decisions by the City of Lewisville will be final.

The selected artist/s will collaborate with City Staff on all logistics and installation.

Eligibility Criteria

This program is open to regional artists only, in the TX-OK-AR-LA region within reasonable driving distance to Lewisville, TX, regardless of race, color, creed, gender, gender variance, national origin, age, religion, marital status, political opinion or affiliation, or disability. The artist is responsible for all artwork transport, drop-off and pick-up, no additional travel or shipping funds are available[DH1] .

Artists working in a variety of medium to large 3-D and outdoor appropriate media are eligible to apply. This is not an appropriate call for artists working only in mural or 2-D art.

Artists without access to a computer can call 972.219.8446 to make arrangements to use a computer at the City’s art center.

Questions:

Please direct all questions about this call to Caroline Belanger, Belanger Art Methods, Public Art Consultant City of Lewisville, by email to Caro@BelangerArtMethods.com