Artist Opportunities
The Alaska Botanical Garden (ABG) is a nonprofit, living museum dedicated to showcasing the beauty and value of Alaska’s gardens and natural areas through science, education, and recreation. During spring and summer months, ABG enjoys daily visitation from travelers and locals alike. The autumn calendar includes BOOtanical, a family-friendly program with fun, fall-themed installations and our annual Beer in the Garden event. Brighter Winter Nights is our winter program, running from Thanksgiving through mid-January. Lighting displays and ice sculptures bedazzle the garden. On average, approximately 10,000 people attend this event each winter.
See ABG’s current artist opportunities below:
Garden-Scale Art Exhibition
Ongoing Outdoor Exhibition Opportunity
ABG is looking for garden-scale outdoor installations for exhibition in our garden setting. Media need not be visual. However, the display must be ongoing: visitors to the Garden must be able to see, hear, feel, or otherwise experience the installation throughout the display period.
Commission: Salable pieces are encouraged but not required. ABG will assume a 30% commission on any work sold.
Location: Artwork will be installed at designated sites within established perennial garden beds. Sites are surrounded by plant material and are not accessible by the public. Should the artist prefer placement where the public can interact with the piece, alternative placement can be discussed. View installation sites here.
Duration: The artist may elect the length of exhibition, from a minimum of 2 months to a maximum of 12 months. Due to the nature of ice and ease of install/deinstall, winter-based exhibition pieces may require a season-long stay (mid-November through mid-April).
Requirements: This exhibition opportunity is for outdoor placement only. Preference is given to work made from natural, sustainable, and/or reclaimed materials. Work must be able to withstand natural elements, to include wind, rain, ice, snow, and potential visits from wildlife (such as squirrels, porcupines, birds, and bears). Artwork must be original and appropriate for public, family-friendly viewing. Artists are encouraged to offer a public engagement opportunity in the form of a talk, workshop, etc.
Eligibility:
Preference will be given to submissions from artists with a demonstrable record of public or outdoor installations.
Artist or an appointed representative must be present for delivery/installation.
Artist need not be a resident of Alaska; however, a travel stipend is not available at this time.
Installation/deinstallation: ABG staff are available to assist with installation. The artist or a designated representative must be present for the installation process. For winter-based installations, ABG cannot guarantee deinstallation before April.
Liability: Although all care will be taken to protect artwork, ABG is not responsible for any damage or breakage.
What ABG provides:
Signage: ABG will create signage to correspond with the artwork.
Winter lighting: for winter installations, ABG can provide lighting if desired/appropriate.
Exposure & Promotion: Alaska Botanical Garden typically sees approximately 50,000 visitors each season. We promote general visitation through radio, newspaper, magazine ads, etc. New art and related public engagement events are typically promoted on our website, via on-site flyers, social media, etc.
Submission details:
Complete the Garden-Scale Submission Form below.
Submissions are accepted on an ongoing basis.