Inverness Interactive Public Art 2026: Existing Outdoor Sculpture Sought, $25,000 Budget, 7 November
A public-art opportunity for finished, interactive sculpture
The City of Inverness, Florida, has issued a call for original, pre-existing sculptural artworks for permanent outdoor installation along West Highland Boulevard, near HCA Florida Citrus Hospital and the city's medical and school district. Submissions close on November 7, 2026. The official notice was posted on October 7, 2026.
The city is looking for an engaging work that appeals to people of different ages and encourages interaction. Relevant characteristics include movement, light, sound, tactile elements or other multisensory qualities. The planned installation area is approximately eight feet wide and ninety feet long, so placement, scale and ease of access are important.
Crucial distinction: this is not a new-work commission
Applicants must offer an original sculpture they have already created. The city explicitly describes this call as procurement of existing artwork rather than commissioning an entirely new work. A digital-art concept, a rendering for an unbuilt sculpture or a speculative idea without an existing physical work would not satisfy that central condition.
Potentially relevant practices include kinetic sculpture and interactive installation, provided the existing artwork can survive permanent outdoor exposure, support safe visitor interaction and satisfy public accessibility and structural requirements. Materials should be appropriate for Central Florida's heat, rain and storm exposure. Artists should evaluate long-term maintenance needs, not only visual appeal.
The $25,000 budget is inclusive of all costs
The City lists a total project budget of US$25,000 for acquiring the artwork and completing the installation. It includes associated artist fees, materials, transport and delivery, insurance, engineering, permits, site preparation and installation, as applicable. The amount is not a separate artist honorarium paid in addition to production expenses.
Because the work already exists, applicants should carefully evaluate loading, transportation, engineering, site preparation, permits and any specialist equipment. A proposal is unlikely to be competitive if all-inclusive costs exceed the stated limit. Any required taxes and maintenance arrangements should be clarified before contracting.
How selection works and what follows
The city will review submissions for originality, visual and artistic excellence, relationship to the site and programme goals, interactive qualities, durability and practicality. Relevant experience with public art or similarly demanding projects also matters.
Applications are due November 7, 2026. The notice says review is expected within seven days after the deadline and the selected artist must complete the installation within 60 days of being notified. Applicants therefore need existing work that can be delivered quickly, not a sculpture requiring lengthy new fabrication.
Organizer and eligibility checks
Inverness is a municipal government, and the call is published on the city's official government news website with links to a detailed application and project information packet. That institutional context makes the brief easier to verify than an uncredited repost. The primary announcement does not specify a blanket worldwide eligibility rule; artists must check the linked application for any residency, insurance, licensing or contractor requirements before submitting.
The city's local public realm is the subject of the project, and the medical-district setting increases the importance of durability, accessibility and public safety. Being interested in public sculpture alone does not imply a final acquisition award.
Official announcement and application
City of Inverness official artist call and application link: https://www.inverness.gov/m/newsflash/Home/Detail/1779
Deadline: 7 November 2026. Primary city announcement checked 18 October 2026. Confirm any time-of-day cutoff inside the linked application.