Sweetheart City has a Love Affair with the Arts
Sculpture in the Park Celebrates 34th Show and Sale in Loveland
Billed as America’s largest outdoor juried show, the Loveland Sculpture in the Park is an event not to be missed. The show is held in Benson Sculpture Garden, 2908 Aspen Drive, Loveland, Colorado 80538
Sculpture Show Dates and Details
This show and sale is always held the 2nd weekend in August. That makes it easy to mark your calendars in advance so you can definitely plan a trip this year, next year, or for ten years from now! This year’s event is August 11th, 12th and 13th, 2017.
Please note that although the event is billed as 3 days (Fri-Sun) Friday is the Patron’s Party. This event which is 3-8pm has only a limited number of tickets available to the public at $75 each. If you want tickets for this event call 970-663-2940 for more information.
Most of the public will attend on Saturday or Sunday. Each day the gates open at 9:30 am. Tickets are $7.
Parking in the immediate area is pretty much non-existent, but there are spots on the street within a walk at no charge if you get there early enough. Many businesses offer spaces in their lots for a fee. There are also shuttle buses that will allow visitors to park and ride at no cost.
More details: including a map and the location of the shuttle bus stops.
A Little Sculpture in the Park History
From their humble beginnings in 1984, the Sculpture in the Park has grown to include approximately 160 artists of all different media. Sure there are traditional bronze western themed and wildlife artists, but there are many contemporary styles, subject matter and media including ceramic sculpture, glass art, stone carvers, wood workers, wire art…you name it, if it is sculptural you will find it here.
Each year the proceeds generated from the annual Sculpture in the Park show go towards the purchase of sculpture for Benson Sculpture Garden as well as towards the funding of park capital improvements and landscaping. To date, one hundred and fifty four pieces of sculpture valued at over $4 million grace the grounds of the park. Six new pieces were added to the collection in July of 2016.
This extraordinary collection of art is situated around a lagoon in the midst of trees, flowers, and natural habitat areas. With the Rocky Mountains as a majestic backdrop, Benson Sculpture Garden has been described as “one of the most unique sculpture gardens in the nation”. It has also been recognized as “one of the 200 most important modern and contemporary art sites around the world” and as “one of the 20 must-see contemporary art sites across the USA”. It is open to the public throughout the year and annually this “public treasure” draws tens of thousands of visitors from around the world. We could not be more proud!
What You’ll Find at this Sculpture Show and Sale
In addition to the “main event” there are also 2 additional tents. One is “Take Home a Piece of the Park” where one can purchase maquette sized editions of some of pieces in the Benson Sculpture Garden permanent collection. The other is the Silent Auction tent where many artists have contributed pieces that you can bid on.
Here’s a link to a list of sculptors who will be attending the 2017 show. The list includes many returning artists like George Walbye who was one of the original exhibitors back in 1984, several who have been attending for the past 10-20 years, like Carol Gold. Every year there are also new sculptors bringing in their fresh ideas and works to the mix.
About 1/4 of the sculptors are new to the show every year. In addition the show has a policy requiring returning artists to display newly produced work. This ensures that Sculpture in the Park has a refreshingly new and diversified look each year.
A Great Event for Sculptors, Art Buyers, and Anyone Who Loves Art!
This is a great event for sculptors, most of whom sell one or more pieces at the event. Prices range from under $1000 to tens of thousands of dollars.
It is also a boon to the community because proceeds directly support it and because of the money that is spent at other businesses during the event.
And it is a fantastic event for art buyers. If you are researching a sculpture purchase decision, this is a one of the best places to go to find sculptors, whether this is for a public art commission, a corporate collection, or a private collection. !
Love art, but not in a position to buy at this time–this is a great show for you as well
Again, here are the dates and times for Sculpture in the Park 2017:
- Friday, August 11, 3-8pm, $75
- Saturday, August 12, 9:30am-6:00pm, $7
- Sunday, August 13, 9:30am-4:30pm, $7
Please leave your pets at home unless they are service animals.
Sculpture in the Park is an annual event organized and sponsored by the Loveland High Plains Arts Council. A private, non-profit organization, the LHPAC was founded in 1984. Their mission is to promote sculpture for both cultural and economic benefits to the Loveland, Colorado community. The Board of Directors are volunteers, and hundreds of other volunteers help make this mission possible.
Click here to contact them for more information about LHPAC, Sculpture in the Park, how you can participate or volunteer.
All photos are from the Loveland High Plains Art Council
Madeline Wiener (note Madeline is not listed as participating in the 2017 show, but she does have a piece in the Benson Sculpture Park.
Read about other sculpture shows this same weekend in Loveland.
