The ‘HeArts of Wilsonville’: Heart sculptures to go up around town

Midway through next year, Wilsonville residents can expect to see sculptures of hearts around the city.

Wilsonville’s Arts, Culture and Heritage Commission is working on a temporary project themed “Wilsonville: Many Cultures, One Heart,” involving 10 fiberglass heart sculptures by various artists that will be placed around the city. A call for art posted to the city’s website said the commission will accept designs fitting the “many cultures, one heart theme” as well as those under a broad Wilsonville theme.

The project will be funded through the Wilsonville-Metro Community Enhancement Program, which also recently funded a mural at the Memorial Park Skatepark. Each artist will receive a $1,350 stipend per heart sculpture, which is 52 feet by 52 feet in size.

“The theme aims to represent the distinctive artistic, cultural and historical framework that makes Wilsonville a wonderful place, and artwork designs can also incorporate the diversity of the city to celebrate the many communities located here,” Erika Valentine, Wilsonville Arts & Culture Program Coordinator, said.

Although Valentine said exact locations for the sculptures are still being determined, proposed locations include sculpture pads at City Hall, the Wilsonville Parks and Recreation building and the Wilsonville Police Department, as well as the Wilsonville Public Library, the Villebois neighborhood, Memorial Park, Engleman Park and Boones Ferry Park.

Artists can submit designs through Friday, Nov. 1, and selected artists will be notified by Friday, Dec. 6. Completed sculptures are due by April 11, 2025 and a reception will be held in May. Valentine said the sculptures will be on display for approximately one year before being sold, and funds raised from the sold sculptures will go to the city’s general fund to help with future arts-related projects.