Works in Public

How to Apply

Works in Public uses an open application process. Selected artists must commit to taking classes at the League during their participation in the program. A successful application is based on the strength of the proposed concept and portfolio. Artists working in all media are invited to apply.

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The call for proposals for the next iteration of Works in Public open in April 2025.

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Please read the WiP Prospect and Frequently Asked Questions here.

View our information session video to learn more about the application process.

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Two-Year Course

‍Works in Public is a two-year program. The first year is dedicated to seminars on the history and contemporary understanding of public sculpture, the study of sculptural concepts, proposal and presentation methods, site analysis, fabrication processes, engineering, and studio visits. The first year culminates in the creation of a proposal for a full-scale public artwork. The second year is dedicated to the fabrication process of selected proposals, culminating in the installation of artworks in Riverside Park South and Riverside Park/145^th Street for a one-year public exhibition. The course will offer weekly seminars, guest lecturers, and critics. It will include visits to public art sites and artists’ studios, discussions, recommended readings, assignments, and consultations.

Current Jurors

The jurors for the 2024 WiP selection will be artist Tanda Francis and Nora R. Lawrence, Artistic Director and Chief Curator of Storm King Art Center.

Need more information?

For more information, contact Tom Tacik at tom@artstudentsleague.org.

FAQs

What does “attending” the League mean? What is the commitment if I am selected?

• WiP is a professional development program for students. If accepted into the program, you will be required to take classes at the League.
• This is an in-person program. You must be located in or able to commute to New York City for regular weekly meetings and other events, as well as to attend classes.
• You will be awarded a tuition scholarship to attend either full-time class (meeting five-days/week) or part-time classes during the program.
• Satisfactory progress through the program requires attendance at weekly meetings, which typically last four hours.
• You must meet the deadlines for assignments and maquette-making.
• Students are evaluated at the conclusion of year 1 for satisfactory progress in the program. If it is determined that the student does not meet the standards expected for satisfactory progress, they may be asked to leave the program.

What is the budget for a proposed project?

$15,000 per project for materials and fabrication, excluding engineering (if required), transportation, and installation.

Where will sculptures be fabricated?

Fabricators are selected based on the unique requirements of each proposal.

Do I need to be experienced in sculpture or public sculpture?

• Some experience working in 3D is helpful but not required. You do not need to have any experience in public sculpture.
• You don’t need to have the capability to create the actual sculpture on your own. To ensure the success of your proposed sculpture, in the course of the program you will have to acquire a basic understanding of fabrication processes on a large scale and more in-depth, specific knowledge that your proposed sculpture may require.

Do I have to make a physical model (maquette) of the proposal?

Yes. You will be required to submit photographs of your maquette as part of the application portfolio. Graphic animation or representation of your proposal is optional. Your maquette should approximate as accurately as possible the actual materials or the appearance of your proposed sculpture. As a general guide for scale, the maquette may be up to 12 inches in its longest dimension and/or fit within a 12 inch square base.

What are the criteria for a successful public art proposal?

• The artistic merit of your portfolio is as important as your proposal. Artistic maturity of WiP participants is crucial. We also want to see how your general art practice (as presented in your portfolio) is connected to your proposal. This doesn’t mean that you must propose only ideas similar to your portfolio. What is sought in this proposal are visual, conceptual, and/or technical relationships to your ongoing art practice.
• In addition to a unique artistic vision, successful public art is often site-specific, addressing the spirit of the time (social or political climate, and/or holding public serviceability in visual enhancement, education, or community engagement).

Do I have to create the sculpture exactly as proposed if I am selected?

Participants are selected to develop and fabricate the proposed project. It is understood that a project may be modified and refined over the course of the program. The League reserves the right to determine the viability of a project.

What will happen to the installed sculptures after the exhibition ends?

• All individual sculptures fabricated under WiP will belong to the Art Students League. Every effort will be made to place the sculptures in permanent locations following the exhibition as the League develops relationships with other municipalities.
• The program requires fabrication and exhibition of a presentation maquette at the mid-point of the program that represents your project at scale. This maquette will become the property of the Art Students League for archival purposes.

What will I gain from this program?

• An understanding of the process of applying for public sculpture commissions.
• Fabrication and exhibition of your proposed sculpture in Riverside Park and the potential for permanent placement following the exhibition.
• A scholarship to attend classes at the League and a stipend during the program.
• An understanding of the difference between studio and public art, the examples of successful public art, the role and possibility of public art, as well as public safety and its technical challenges and solutions.
• Participation in group discussions and critiques, lectures, and consultations moderated by the program managers.
• Interactions with guest lecturers and critics, curators, and renowned artists.
• Exposure in the media and the NYC community. In the past, the program was featured in NY Times, WSJ, Daily News, DNA info, and other major TV news programs.

What is the selection process and composition of the jury?

The selection panel will include representatives from the Parks Department, the League, and invited professionals established in the field of sculpture.

Artists are chosen based on the following criteria:

• Artistic Merit & Creativity:
  • Originality of concept and sense of aesthetic vision
  • Quality of artwork and demonstrated artistic skill
• Proposal Development & Feasibility:
  • Demonstrated grasp of how the proposal can be fabricated
  • Demonstrated clear ideation from concept to maquette
• Public Engagement:- Demonstrated understanding
  • Demonstrated understanding of the installation site and how the project will resonate with the local community