Submit to the High School Outdoor Art Exhibition 2026

Michigan Legacy Art Park is excited to announce an opportunity for high school students to participate in an outdoor sculpture exhibition. Our mission is to inspire awareness, appreciation and passion for Michigan’s history, culture and environment through the arts and we are thrilled to be able to connect the area’s young artists with our vision of public works of art. Submitted works can take the form of traditional sculptural objects, temporary or ephemeral works, or land art and can tie into our mission in any number of ways. We also have a Director of Programs and Public Engagement and volunteers that are happy to visit schools to provide some history to these various forms of outdoor works, help with material considerations, and to help brainstorm.

A teacher from each school will supervise works of art from individual students or student collaborations. Finished works will be on display at Michigan Legacy Art Park in May of 2026

Locations for works will be in the Art Park’s Entry Gallery and along the Access for All Trail. Sites will be assigned by the Art Park’s staff and arranged prior to the installation period. All work entered must be freestanding and “suitable” for outdoor public display within the space provided. The durability of the work and safety of the public will be a consideration for selection.

EXHIBITION GUIDELINES

Entries will be coordinated through the Director of Programs and Public Engagement and reviewed by the Education Committee. All entries must be original work and of safe design and construction. Acceptable entries may be existing works, completed prior to the submission, or detailed sculpture proposals. The selected works will be on display in Michigan Legacy Art Park in Maym 2026.
Suitable outdoor work ready for installation must be:

  • Must be sturdy, freestanding works, or be able to be structurally secured to a concrete pad with 3/8 to 1/2 inch anchor bolts, or able to sit safely on the ground with no possibility of tipping, or mounted into the ground.
  • Capable of withstanding adverse weather conditions, high winds, heat, etc. Even though these works are temporary, we do want them to last for the duration of their display.
  • Maintenance free for the duration of the exhibition.
  • Safe for the general public (no sharp edges, no climbing hazards, no breakable or bendable components, of a height that would not create a balance hazard etc.)

***Works judged as unsuitable will not be considered for the exhibition.

Each school is responsible for the delivery, installation, and removal of the artwork according to the timeline agreed upon with Michigan Legacy Art Park. The Art Park will provide limited assistance and supervision of the installation and de-installation of artwork.

Artworks may be for sale (schools and/or artists will handle sales of works), however exhibiting artwork may not be removed until the exhibition has concluded. The Art Park will take no commission sales of exhibited artwork.

 

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

All emails and questions can be directed to Lindsay Greer at: [email protected]. Each artist will receive an email confirmation on receipt of each entry.