City of Chelseacommission

City of Chelsea John Ruiz Statue Call for Artists

Illustrative image: a marble sculpture — Illustrative image: Lorado Taft, The Solitude of the Soul, 1901/1914. Art Institute of Chicago, public domain

Illustrative image: Lorado Taft, The Solitude of the Soul, 1901/1914. Art Institute of Chicago, public domain

Who Can Apply: Open to U.S.-based artists and artist teams age 18+ with experience in figurative sculpture (recognizable likenesses); BIPOC, female, and Chelsea-connected artists are strongly encouraged.
The Focus: Design and create a life-size or slightly larger-than-life bronze figurative statue of boxer John Ruiz for installation in John Ruiz Park, Chelsea, Massachusetts.
Compensation: Phase 1 finalists each receive $2,000–$3,300 to develop a maquette proposal; one final awardee receives an all-inclusive project budget up to $160,000, with installation costs paid separately by the City.
Key Requirements: Online application with contact information and digital portfolio links; one PDF containing resumes (2-page max each), artist bio (500-word max), written descriptions and images of 3–5 relevant projects, three references, and written responses to three artist statement questions.

DeadlineThursday, November 5, 2026

PayUp to $160,000 all-inclusive project budget (includes artist fees, design, fabrication, materials, pedestal, insurance, travel, and contingency; installation costs paid directly by the City and outside the award); three to five finalists separately receive USD 2,000–3,300 each for maquette proposals.

Program datesStatue completed by: June 30, 2027; Installation: Summer 2027

LocationChelsea, MA

ParticipationOn-site

Career stagesAll Stages

DisciplinesFigurative sculpture, Bronze sculpture, Public art, Commemorative sculpture

Age range18–

Application notesApply only through the online portal. Provide contact details and portfolio/website/social links. Upload one PDF with lead/key-member resumes (maximum two pages each), artist biography (maximum 500 words; team-member bios for teams), images and descriptions of 3–5 relevant projects with title/year/medium/size and team roles, three reference contacts, and answers explaining your interest, connection to John Ruiz’s legacy, and artistic approach or values. Optional Zoom session: October 21, 2026, noon–1 p.m. ET. Written questions are due October 21 at 4 p.m. ET to dharrington@chelseama.gov; the page’s October 16 response date precedes that deadline and requires clarification.

Contactdharrington@chelseama.gov

Hosted by

City of Chelsea

Organization based in Chelsea