HATTIESBURG SEEKS ARTIST FOR SCULPTURE AT NEW DOWNTOWN ART PARK

HATTIESBURG, MS (Sept. 25, 2026) – Hattiesburg Alliance for Public Art (HAPA) is inviting professional artists from across the country to submit proposals for a large-scale sculpture that will become part of Montague Sculpture Park, a new permanent sculpture park in downtown Hattiesburg.

The nationwide Call for Artists seeks an artist or artist team to design, fabricate, and install a sculpture exploring industry and its connection to Hattiesburg. Artists are encouraged to interpret the theme creatively, considering the people, ingenuity, labor, enterprise, and industries that have helped shape the city.

“Montague Sculpture Park gives HAPA an opportunity to bring large-scale sculpture into the heart of Hattiesburg while creating a collection that reflects the people, stories, and ideas that have shaped our city,” said Marlo Dorsey, CEO of VisitHATTIESBURG and Hattiesburg Alliance for Public Art. “We’re excited to see how artists interpret Hattiesburg’s history of industry and innovation through their own creative lens.”

Montague Sculpture Park will feature eight permanent sculptures, each displayed on a dedicated pad with lighting. HAPA will curate the collection through a combination of Calls for Artists and direct commissions over the coming year, with additional opportunities announced as the park develops.

The first sculpture selected through a Call for Artists will be installed on an approximately 8-foot-by-9-foot prepared sculpture pad and may reach up to 15 feet in height. Proposed works must be suitable for permanent outdoor installation in South Mississippi’s climate and demonstrate artistic quality, originality, durability, and technical feasibility.

The selected artist will receive a project budget of up to $40,000, covering all costs associated with design, materials, fabrication, engineering, transportation, delivery, and installation. The opportunity is open to professional artists and artist teams age 18 and older with demonstrated public art experience. There is no application fee.

Montague Sculpture Park brings together public leadership, private investment, and community partnership and originated through the generosity and vision of Doug and Becky Montague, who founded HAPA in 2014. The park reflects their lasting commitment to public art in Hattiesburg and will serve as a permanent anchor for HAPA’s sculpture program.

“HAPA has always sought opportunities to make public art a meaningful part of the places where people live, work, and gather,” said Becky Montague. “My family and I are honored to be involved in bringing Montague Sculpture Park to the Hattiesburg community and creating a lasting space where artists can share their work with residents and visitors.”

Artists interested in applying should submit a digital rendering or detailed sketch, artist qualifications, a concept narrative, previous public art samples, proposed materials and finishes, approximate dimensions, maintenance and installation requirements, a total project budget, and a proposed fabrication and installation timeline.

Applications must be submitted electronically by 6 p.m. CST on Friday, November 20, 2026. The selected artist is expected to be notified by Monday, November 30, with fabrication beginning shortly thereafter and installation taking place by February 2027.

All submitted concepts, designs, renderings, and written materials must be original work created by the applying artist or artist team. AI-generated designs, images, concepts, or written content will not be considered.

For more details and instructions, visit hburgart.com/artists. For questions or additional information, contact Kristen Brock at kbrock@visithburg.org.

To learn more about HAPA or view a map of existing public art in Hattiesburg, visit HAPA’s Facebook and Instagram pages or hburgart.com.

# # #

A program of VisitHATTIESBURG, HAPA began in 2014 through the leadership of community members and generous donors passionate about publicly sharing art and making it accessible to all. HAPA continues to purchase and place art throughout the city – in parks, neighborhoods, public buildings, and businesses – while also raising awareness for works of art already in the area. The organization is partially funded by VisitHATTIESBURG, Mississippi Arts Commission grants, the City of Hattiesburg, and other local organizations and individuals who believe in the importance of public art.