Arkansas State University-Mountain Home (ASUMH) has announced its first nationwide call for sculptors as part of the Mountain Home Art Walk, transitioning the program from a locally oriented project to a juried exhibition on the national stage.
The initiative, now branded as the Mountain Home Art Walk Visiting Artists Series, was unveiled this week alongside a three-year sponsorship commitment from the Jim Brown Company, a heating and air business established in Mountain Home in 1964. This sponsorship enables ASUMH and the City of Mountain Home to host rotating installations of outdoor sculptures twice a year.
Applications for the exhibition, managed through the national artist platform CaFE, opened this week. Sculptors interested in applying must submit their entries by September 15. Selected artists will be notified later in September, with installations set to begin October 15. A panel of jurors will select approximately 10 to 12 pieces from two to three artists. Each chosen artist will receive a $1,000 stipend to help cover travel, transportation, installation, and exhibition expenses. Sculptors may sell their works directly to interested buyers during the five-month display period.
"Public art has the power to inspire conversation and strengthen communities," said ASUMH Chancellor Dr. Bentley Wallace in the program announcement. He noted that the sponsorship ensures long-term sustainability for the Art Walk. Mountain Home Mayor Hillrey Adams lauded the program, describing it as an enhancement to the area’s appeal as a hub for arts, culture, and outdoor recreation.
The Art Walk began modestly in October 2023 with a single abstract sculpture by Minnesota artist Patrick Shannon prominently displayed near the Sheid-Hopper Bypass and College Street. This inaugural piece was funded by an anonymous donor. The following year, in August 2024, Massachusetts artist Dale Rogers exhibited 15 large-scale works along local trails for a six-month installation. The most popular sculptures, as determined by local votes, became permanent additions.
Previously, the Art Walk depended on one-time donations or invited works from individual, nationally recognized artists. The Visiting Artists Series replaces this model with an open competition approach, fostering a broader reach and ongoing innovation. Sponsorship funds will support artist stipends, programming, and consistent growth of the Art Walk. While the Jim Brown Company has not disclosed the value of its sponsorship, the funding offers the Art Walk team a reliable budget for biannual installations.
The sculptures will continue to be displayed on the James and Sally Moore Recreational Trail at the ASUMH campus and the Shirley Baker Nature Trail in McCabe Park. City crews have connected these trails through an underpass beneath the Sheid-Hopper Bypass, creating a continuous three-mile pathway. Recent improvements include solar-powered lighting, funded through an Arkansas Department of Transportation grant, and additional botanical gardens that are still in the planning stages.
Efforts to expand the trail network also include the Library Hill Trail. The Baxter County Library Foundation recently reached its $250,000 fundraising goal to match a $456,000 federal Transportation Alternatives Program grant for the three-quarter-mile loop around the library. The trail will connect to the McCabe Park and ASUMH paths.
Artists interested in participating in the Visiting Artists Series can find more information at asumh.edu/mh-art-walk. Questions can be directed to Kasey Bass at ASUMH, reachable at kbass@asumh.edu or 870-508-6158.