Prospectus #291 Spaceport America Sundial Public Art Project
Artists and artist teams are invited to submit designs for a functional public art sundial to be installed at Spaceport America's new STARC building in the New Mexico high desert.
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Get matched →- Deadline
- 41 days left
- Entry fee
- Free
- Location
- Santa Fe, New Mexico
About
Overview
The Art in Public Places Program of New Mexico Arts at the NM Department of Cultural Affairs, in collaboration with Spaceport America, seeks an artist or artist team to create a public art sundial—a functional work of art. The sundial will be installed outside the newly built STARC (Spaceport Technology and Reception Center) at Spaceport America in the New Mexico high desert. The intent is to creatively represent the origins of measurement and human curiosity, evoking wonder about time, space, technology, and our place in the cosmos.
Key Dates
- Submission deadline: September 4, 2026
Eligibility
Open to artists and artist teams on a national basis.
About the Sundial
A sundial is a functional chronometric device that translates Earth's rotation into a visual representation of time using the position and length of a shadow to indicate the hour. It connects celestial mechanics to terrestrial life and should evoke curiosity and wonder. The artwork should maintain the two fundamental components of a functional sundial: the gnomon (the vertical or angled element that casts the shadow) and the dial plate (the surface onto which the shadow is cast). Artists may interpret these elements creatively while maintaining functionality.
Guiding Themes
- Interactivity: A sundial invites observers to engage with the environment and time itself, highlighting changing seasons through shadow length and sparking curiosity about cosmic motions.
- Symbolism: A monument to constancy—while technology evolves, the sun-Earth relationship remains the most reliable metronome in human history.
- Artistry: Artist teams may evoke feelings and emotions about time, space, technology, the vast desert and sky, and the human condition as we reach for the stars.
Media & Requirements
- Static artwork only (interactivity may be proposed, but kinetic features should be avoided).
- Artwork of any media and materials that can withstand permanent installation.
- Submit 1–10 images, 0–2 audio files, 0–2 video files (total: 1–10 assets).
Installation
The sundial will be installed at a prominent location near the STARC building, accessible to the public and to spaceport customers. All visitors will drive around the sundial to reach the building and can walk over to the installation.
Contact
- Email: [email protected]
- Phone: 505-396-0326
- Entry fee
- Free to enter
- Entries per artist
- Up to 1
- Theme
- A functional public art sundial that creatively represents the origins of measurement and human curiosity, evoking wonder about time, space, technology, and the cosmos while connecting celestial mechanics to terrestrial life in the context of space exploration.
- Eligibility
- Open to artists and artist teams on a national basis.
- Contact
- [email protected]
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