Olympia opens submissions for the 2025 Percival Plinth Project 

Olympia invites artists from Washington and Oregon to submit sculptures for its annual Percival Landing exhibition. The deadline for submission is on Jan. 6, 2025.

The city will choose up to 18 sculptures for display from June 2025 to June 2026 along Percival Landing, a 0.9-mile waterfront boardwalk.

The city offers a $1,000 honorarium to artists whose works are selected for a one-year loan program. In addition, one piece will be chosen to become part of Olympia's permanent collection through a public voting process. The artist whose sculpture is chosen for this permanent acquisition will receive a $10,000 award.

The Percival Plinth arts installation project will unveil the new submissions in June 2025, followed by a community celebration to welcome the new artworks. This event will kick off a month-long public voting period for the People's Choice award.

Artists or art teams aged 18 and older are invited to participate. Each is allowed to submit up to two entries through the CAFE system. The city requires that submissions be new works not previously displayed on the Percival Plinths.

Selected sculptures must be available for exhibition for a year and may be considered for purchase.

All submitted artwork will be reviewed by a designated jury based on the criteria provided: 

• Quality of sculpture, including evidence of artistic ability, originality or uniqueness of vision, technical competency, material integrity, and craftsmanship.

• Sculpture must not present a safety risk to the public, withstand exposure to the elements and unsupervised interaction, and be maintenance-free for the exhibition's duration. Artists must expect sculptures to be climbed or marked on during the exhibition.

• Balance and diversity of materials and style among selected sculptures.

• Artists should bear in mind that the audiences will be broad-based and of all ages, and artwork should be appropriate for display in a public place.
• The art must not violate any copyright or right to image/likeness or any other law.
• Any content, photos, or link information must not violate Washington's Law Against Discrimination RCW C49.60. 

The Arts Commission will then recommend the new slate of sculptures to the Olympia City Council for review and approval. 

EDITOR'S NOTE: This article was created with the assistance of artificial intelligence. Our human editorial team carefully reviewed and edited all information to ensure accuracy and relevance.