SculptureTour People’s Choice to be Announced

This year’s SculptureTour 2018 People’s Choice Award will be announced Friday morning.

“Downtown Salina is the hub of cultural art in our community, and we are very fortunate to have SculptureTour Salina become such a successful program over the past eight years,” stated Penny Bettles, SculptureTour Salina Committee member. “The People’s Choice Award is a fun way to get everyone involved in the process. The kids get pretty excited that they have a say in which sculpture stays in Salina.”

Salina Arts & Humanities along with the SculptureTour committee selects a public site where the sculpture will be exhibited permanently and accessible for everyone to enjoy. During the press conference, Brad Anderson, Executive Director of Salina Arts & Humanities, will announce where the winning 2018 sculpture will be installed.

Previous People’s Choice Award winners include:

  • 2011 – “Watch Dog” by Louise Peterson; On display in Oakdale Park Sculpture Garden
  • 2012 – “Sweet Kisses” by Marianne Caroselli; On display in Oakdale Park Sculpture Garden
  • 2013 – “Farmer” by Lawrence Starck; On display in Campbell Plaza, Downtown
  • 2014 – “Next Up” by James Haire; On display at KWU Tennis Courts
  • 2015 – “Daughters of Peace” by Benjamin Victor; On display at the City/County Building
  • 2016 – “Slim” by Dale Lewis, On display at Tony’s Pizza Event Center
  • 2017 – “Picasso’s Violin by Jodie Bliss; On display at The Salina Innovation Foundation

Sculpture Tour Salina is an annual juried competition and exhibition in Salina, Kansas, an extraordinary community boasting cultural organizations and venues of national acclaim. The exhibition is open to all artists creating works suitable for outdoor display. Between 20 and 30 sculptures are selected and carefully sited in historic downtown Salina. Sculptures remain installed for one year and the program is marketed to provide both viewing enjoyment to community and visitors as well as a sales opportunity for participating artists. $6,500 in Juror’s Merit Awards are presented annually and to date, 35 sculptures have been purchased including the eight works purchased by the City of Salina through the People’s Choice Award initiative. Each year, the City designates $15,000 toward purchase of the People’s Choice winner. The sculpture is then installed in a public environment within the community.