City opens call for Art on the River 2027-28 sculpture proposals

The City of Dubuque is soliciting sculpture proposals for the 21st Art on the River public art exhibit, to be held along the Mississippi Riverwalk in the Port of Dubuque from August 2027 through July 2028. A community planning committee selected Tributaries as the theme for the 2027-28 exhibit. The city welcomes submissions of existing and proposed three-dimensional public artworks that reflect the theme, and up to 11 sculptural works will be selected. There is no fee to apply, and artists may submit completed works or works to be fabricated by the August 2027 installation dates. Artists may submit up to three works, with a separate application for each. Online applications are due by 11:59 p.m. CST on Friday, Jan. 15, 2027, at cityofdubuque.org/AOTRapply. Selected artists receive a $1,800 stipend for each work in the exhibition, with a $1,000 Best in Show prize and a $200 People's Choice prize also available. Artworks are encouraged to be for sale, and the city coordinates all sales transactions and retains a 25 percent commission of the retail price. Since the program began, Art on the River has featured 198 sculptures by 158 artists at the Port of Dubuque.