CONTACT:
Candace Poolton, Town Clerk/PIO/Assistant to the Manager
Town of Waynesville
828-452-2491
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Call for Artists: A Public Art Opportunity in Downtown Waynesville
WAYNESVILLE, NC-The Town of Waynesville Public Art Commission is inviting qualified artists, fabricators, and artist teams to submit proposals to design, fabricate, and install seven small-scale salamander sculptures throughout Downtown Waynesville.
The sculptures will become part of an interactive public art scavenger hunt, creating a fun and unique experience for residents and visitors alike.
Interested artists can learn more about the “Request for Proposals” guidelines and requirements by visiting www.waynesvillenc.gov/services/bids. Artists should submit their proposals no later than August 26th, 2026 at 12pm.
About the Project:
Inspired by successful public art discovery programs in other communities (Ex: Mice on Main in Greenville, SC: http://miceonmain.com/) the project will create a family-friendly attraction that encourages exploration of downtown businesses, while celebrating Western North Carolina’s Great Smoky Mountain National Park, also known as the “Salamander Capital of the World”. The salamanders will be installed in discreet but discoverable locations along Main Street and adjacent downtown areas, encouraging residents and visitors to follow a story to search for all seven sculptures, with prizes being awarded to those who can discover all seven. The story will incorporate the seven native species of salamanders, educational facts about them, and the names of local businesses should they choose to sponsor a salamander.
The National Park Service has been instrumental in providing educational guidance and selecting species that accurately reflect the Great Smoky Mountains. Smokies Life will be donating prizes to those who discover all seven salamanders. Prizes include park patches, stickers, and a copy of the book So Many Salamanders by Diane Lang. In addition to providing prizes, Smokies Life will be sharing the project on their blog that boasts over 70,000 readers.
Waynesville Public Art Commission Chair, George Kenney is impassioned about the project and collaborative efforts, “We are very excited about promoting the unique wildlife that call WNC home, with the added benefit of bringing locals and visitors to downtown.”
This project will be funded strictly though donations. If you would like to donate to this public art project, please make out checks to “TOW-WPAC” and mail the check to Town of Waynesville PO Box 100 Waynesville, NC 28786. Donations can also be made in person at 16 South Main Street, Waynesville.
For full project details, please visit www.waynesvillenc.gov/services/bids.
For more information on the Waynesville Public Art Commission, please visit https://waynesvillepublicart.org/.