• Kathy Ruttenberg In Sync 3 Photo: Eric Limon

    Sculpture at The Mount

    Set against the verdant background of Edith Wharton’s historic estate, Sculpture at The Mount is an annual exhibition highlighting works of contemporary outdoor sculpture in a range of media. The 2026 exhibition will be on view May – October. Sculpture at The Mount is free and open to the public, dawn to dusk.

    Kathy Ruttenberg, In Sync (2018)

2026 Call for Art

The Mount is accepting submissions to Sculpture at The Mount, a juried exhibition of 20-25 artworks installed throughout the woods, gardens, and grounds of Edith Wharton’s historic estate.

Dates: Sunday, May 24 –  Saturday, October 24, 2026

Theme: The 2026 Sculpture at The Mount exhibition will celebrate the theme of FLOURISH, showcasing artwork that conveys connection, growth, hope, flora and fauna, resilience, and the ways that a community thrives by bringing people together. Responding to this theme, artists are invited to share how sculpture can unite, elicit hope, illustrate a sense of growth or a thriving environment, encourage interdependence, and foster connection. Artists are welcome to creatively interpret what FLOURISH means to them via the medium, subject matter, and form of their choice.

About the Exhibition: Sculpture at The Mount is fully outdoors and is free and open to the public. Given the extent of The Mount’s grounds, we recommend that submissions are large-scale (at least 3 ft. in width or height). Artists must ensure all materials – from the artwork itself to installation materials – will be appropriate for the outdoors and able to withstand all types of weather, including extreme heat, direct sunlight, heavy rain, and high-speed winds. The artwork may not pose any harm to the public and will not cause permanent damage to The Mount or its surrounding landscape. The Mount will assist in the installation and deinstallation process and will provide a crane as necessary.

Timeline:

  • Applications Open: November 15, 2025
  • Application Deadline: January 19, 2026
  • Finalists Notified: March 1, 2026
  • Installation: May 18-20, 2026
  • Meet the Artists Open House Celebration: June 28, 2026
  • Deinstallation: October 26-28, 2026

Review Process & Selection Criteria: Applications will be reviewed by a jury comprised of staff and trustees of The Mount, professional artists, and special guest juror Jess Wilcox, an independent curator with a focus on sculpture, ecocritical, and public art and a member of the River Valley Arts Collective.

Honorarium: A $1,000 honorarium will be awarded to each accepted artist. Sculptures may be offered for sale with 70% of the sale price going to the artist, and a 30% commission going to The Mount.

Artists may submit multiple sculptures for consideration — Please submit a separate application for each sculpture. If you have any questions or need assistance with your application, please contact Sculpture@EdithWharton.org

  • “There is great synergy between Wharton's literary legacy and the compelling narratives expressed through contemporary sculpture. Sculpture at The Mount offers visitors the opportunity to explore the intersection of literature, sculpture, and nature."

    Susan WisslerThe Mount's Executive Director

Views of 2025 Sculpture at The Mount

  • William Lanzillo, Reclamation, Photo by Eric Limon

  • Vivien Collens, Windswept, Photo by Eric Limon

  • Susan Zurles, La Bailaora, Photo by Eric Limon

  • Sergei Isupov, Sculptures in the Trees | Ceramic Animals, Photo by Eric Limon

  • Robin Tost, Brunhilda, Photo by Eric Limon

  • Peter Barrett, Trickster, Photo by Eric Limon

  • Pedro S. De Movellan, Meadowlark, Photo by Eric Limon

  • Patrick Goguen, Palm Lines, Photo by Eric Limon

  • Pamela Bonaguide, The Brides, Photo by Eric Limon

  • Michael Perusse, The Bird Show, Photo by Eric Limon

  • Micajah Bienvenu, Nebula, Photo by Eric Limon

  • Kent Mikalsen, Smoke, Photo by Eric Limon

  • Kathy Ruttenberg, In Sync, Photo by Eric Limon

  • Joy Brown, Sitter with Mask, Photo byEric Limon

  • Janice Corkin Rudolf, Vinyasa, Photo by Eric Limon

  • Hugh Lassen, Figure, Photo by Eric Limon

  • Helen Duncan, Disperse, Photo by Eric Limon

  • Harold Grinspoon, Twizzler, Photo by Eric Limon

  • Donna Bernstein, Living in Harmony, Photo by Eric Limon

  • David Adilman and Thomas Berger, Burdened Man, Photo by Eric Limon

  • David Skora, Free Flight, Photo by Eric Limon

  • Craig Anderson, The Rising, Photo by Eric Limon

  • Christopher Curtis, That Place in the Stars, Photo by Eric Limon