The public was invited to vote for their favorite Hopkins public art sculpture over the summer and the winners were announced at the community event Hopkins In Motion on September 17, 2011. The results were:

People’s Choice Award:  Richards D. Poey for “Like A Tree, Rooted in the Earth”

Richards D. Poey, a resident of Eden Prairie, is known for both bronze and stone sculptures. This bronze sculpture depicts the “Tree Pose”, a balancing pose in yoga which focuses on concentration, clarity of thought, awareness and balance of mind and body. The sculpture portrays a human figure as growing upward like a tree from the planet earth, its arms like branches reaching for the sun. 

Children’s Choice Award: Kyle Fokken for “Shoo-Shoe Train”

Kyle Fokken of Minneapolis reveals his love of antique toys in his mixed media work, but always with an idiosyncratic and modern take—his sculptures combine nostalgia with futuristic fantasy. The sculpture in Hopkins is from a series based on locomotive forms and also includes a wooden shoe, a reoccurring image in Fokken’s work that speaks to humble origins but to the idea of a mundane object that also possesses the power to sabotage.

This juried exhibition is open to established and emerging artists of all backgrounds, working in all media that can withstand outdoor public display. Each eligible artist may submit up to three original artworks. Selected artists will be paid a stipend of $500 to offset the cost of transporting and loaning their artwork. Artists must be present at the installation of their work.

The jurors’ goal is to achieve a diverse selection of artwork that is of high quality in both concept and construction and is appropriate for display in a public, outdoor environment. Specific requirements and objectives are:

1. All entries must be original works by submitting artists.
2. Artworks must be durable enough to withstand the elements in a year-long show with minimal maintenance.
3. Works must pose no hazard to patrons, including the sight impaired, physically disabled or children.
4. Works must be appropriate for a family audience.
5. Works must be insured by the artist.
6. Selected works must be ready for installation to concrete slab or pedestal when delivered to site (selected artists will receive more information).

The goal of Hopkins Artstreet is to build a collection that over time will come to celebrate the diverse community and vitality of Hopkins. Special attention will be paid to artworks that are interactive (reflective, kinetic, other) or in another way engage the curiosity and imagination of viewers. Artworks are on loan to the project and remain the property of the artist unless sold.

• People’s Choice Award: $300
• Children’s Choice Award: $300
• Purchase Award: A panel of jurors may choose one of the pieces for purchase for the Artstreet permanent collection.
• All pieces will be actively marketed for sale (Artstreet retains a 25% commission on sold pieces).
• Participating artists receive excellent exposure as the loaned artworks will be placed in high traffic areas and promotional efforts will be ongoing.

Complete the 2012 application form and contract and send with up to 3 digital images per artwork (high res jpeg files, 1MB max each, on CD or external drive) and your $25/artwork non-refundable application fee, made payable to Friends of the Hopkins Center for the Arts, to:

Hopkins Artstreet
c/o Friends of the Hopkins Center for the Arts
1111 Mainstreet
Hopkins MN 55343

The entries will be reviewed for completeness and forwarded to the selection committee comprised of area artists and residents.

Questions about this project or procedures can be emailed to kelverum@hopkinsmn.com. Thank you in advance for your participation!

During the year, the community is encouraged to vote for their favorite piece. The selected piece will then receive a $1000 prize. A children’s choice award of $500 will also be voted on and awarded. The announcement of the awards will be made at Hopkins In Motion, a community event held in September each year. 

The jury panel will also select one piece to be purchased for permanent installation. The decision will be made on artistic merit, durability, community preference, and budget. This will be announced at the same time the people’s choice awards are announced. Through this annual process, a permanent collection will be established. 

Businesses and individuals will be given the opportunity to sponsor a sculpture. Sponsors will be recognized with a nameplate and acknowledged at the artists' reception and in all publications. The artwork will be promoted for sale and the commissions will be returned to the project to cover the next year’s expenses.  It is the goal of the project to become self-sustaining through commissions and sponsorships.

The City of Hopkins has established three community goals: Build on the Small Town Feel, Enhance Our Walkability, and Take It To Them (citizen engagement). Hopkins Artstreet will help to achieve all three goals:

• The key factor in Hopkins small town feel is the authentic Mainstreet that serves as the focal point of the City.  Hopkins Artstreet will help strengthen existing businesses, allowing them to remain competitive in an ever-changing retail environment. 
• Hopkins Artstreet will encourage walking by drawing residents and visitors down Mainstreet, a highly pedestrian-friendly environment. 
• Finally, this project is a perfect example of taking it (art) to them, by placing art directly into the path of the viewer. 

The project is funded, in part, through a grant from the Metropolitan Regional Arts Council (MRAC) Creative Intersections grant program, with funds provided from an appropriation by the Minnesota Legislature. The Creative Intersections grant program funds projects that will build bridges among community sectors and that have the benefit of building momentum toward strengthening the community as a whole through a quality arts development project.