November 2, 2026

The City of Dubuque, Iowa, is soliciting sculpture proposals for its 21st Art on the River public art sculpture exhibit to be held along the Mississippi Riverwalk in the Port of Dubuque from August 2027 through July 2028.

“Tributaries” has been selected by a community planning committee as the theme for the 2027-28 exhibit and is described as follows:

A tributary has its own source and its own course yet eventually becomes part of something larger. No river exists alone. A river is shaped by everything that flows into it: streams and springs, rain and runoff, sediment and soil. Its course is continually changed by what joins it, what moves through it, and what it encounters along the way. Our lives are shaped by the people we encounter, the places we come from, the histories we inherit, the ideas we exchange, and the experiences we carry forward.

“Tributaries” asks artists to consider the relationship between the individual and the whole, between where we come from and where we are going, and between the many forces that shape a place over time. 

With that vision in mind, the City of Dubuque welcomes and encourages submissions for existing and proposed 3D public artworks that reflect and embody the theme of “Stillness in the Driftless.” The exhibit seeks to create an experience of mindful encounter, an invitation to inhabit the present moment and rediscover what endures within this landscape we call home.

Up to 11 sculptural works will be selected for the exhibition to be displayed at the Port of Dubuque from August 2027 to July 2028. There is no fee to apply, and artists can submit completed works or those to be fabricated by the August 2027 installation dates. Artists may submit up to three works for consideration; a separate application must be completed for each artwork. Online applications are due by 11:59 p.m. CST on Friday, January 15, 2027. Access the application form at www.cityofdubuque.org/AOTRapply. 

Selected artists receive a $1,800 stipend for each work included in the exhibition. Additional cash prizes of $1,000 for Best in Show and $200 for People’s Choice are also available. Artworks are encouraged to be for sale as special efforts are made to promote purchasing throughout the year. The City coordinates all financial transactions related to sales of artwork and retains a 25% commission of the retail price.

Art on the River is part of the Dubuque City Council’s ongoing efforts to foster diverse arts and culture experiences that will improve the social and cultural vibrancy of the community. Since its inception, the program has featured 198 sculptures representing the work of 158 artists at the Port of Dubuque. This 90-acre riverfront campus welcomes 200,000+ visitors each year with features like the National Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium, the Grand River Center, Grand Harbor Resort and Waterpark, Diamond Jo Casino, the historic Dubuque Star Brewery, Dubuque Shot Tower, and the Port of Dubuque Marina.

More information is available at www.cityofdubuque.org/artontheriver or by contacting the Office of Arts & Cultural Affairs Manager Bonnie Spurling at bspurlin@cityofdubuque.org or 563-690-6059.