This May, Chelsea’s will be hosting its 12th annual sculpture walk. It features many top regional artists and their contemporary art for all to look at around the city.

Last year’s sculpture walk had a total of fourteen sculptures, which can still be found around town until May 16th.

“This annual rotating exhibition enhances and enables access to art and culture in our community,” Chelsea Festivals wrote on their website.

This walk is a way to be able to showcase art for the public. Everyone gets to see and experience artwork around their own town for free.

There are many benefits for artists that are selected for the sculpture walk each year, including a $850 award for each artist and around 70% of the sale price of their artwork. The artwork of the chosen artists is also placed in highly visible places for lots of people to see around Chelsea.

To enter the contest for the Sculpture Walk, you have to be 18 years or older. The art made also has to be safe for the public, durable, and made out of materials that can survive outdoor placement. The artist has to be there when they place and remove the artwork.

The chosen artwork for this year will get placed around Chelsea during May 2021 and stay displayed for a full year. After that, unsold artwork will be removed around May of 2022. Although not as many people walk the streets of Chelsea as did before the pandemic hit, many students and community members still love this public display of art.

“I think it’s really cool that around our town we get to have these really amazing sculptures,” Katie Wickman (‘22) said. “I think it’s also good for artists who are trying to get their work out there for people to see.”

If you’re interested in viewing the sculptures from last virtually before they change mid-May, there is a tour available on the Chelsea Festival’s website.