The Rosen Sculpture Competition and Exhibition is a national juried competition presented annually by An Appalachian Summer Festival and the Turchin Center for the Visual Arts. Since its establishment by Martin and Doris Rosen in 1987, the Rosen Competition continues a tradition of showcasing contemporary American sculpture in outdoor settings across the beautiful campus of Appalachian State University.
The competition, in its 39th year, has become firmly established as a cultural treasure and a significant point of pride for Appalachian State University and our entire region. The competition has garnered national praise for the free access to the “best of the best” in contemporary sculpture it offers for countless residents and visitors across North Carolina and beyond.
The Rosen Family proudly continues the legacy of Martin and Doris by generously supporting this important program dedicated to sharing the power and joy of public art, creating a fascinating glimpse into the world of contemporary sculpture, and building new audiences for the visual arts.
This program is made possible by the generous support of the Martin & Doris Rosen Giving Fund/Debbie Rosen Davidson and David Rosen and the Charles & Nancy Rosenblatt Foundation.
Prospectus
This nationally recognized juried competition, established by Martin and Doris Rosen, has long served as a point of pride for Appalachian State University and is presented annually by An Appalachian Summer Festival and the Turchin Center for the Visual Arts. Each year, ten sculptures are selected for installation in outdoor, public settings across the university campus. Cash prizes are awarded for first, second, and third place as well as for the Best in Show. Rosen Award winners are selected by the juror and are announced at the Annual Sculpture Walk in July, a highlight of the summer festival season.
The Rosen Outdoor Sculpture Competition and Exhibition is made possible by generous support from The Martin and Doris Rosen Giving Fund — courtesy of Debbie Rosen Davidson and David Rosen — and The Charles and Nancy Rosenblatt Foundation.
Awards and Honoraria
Ten finalists will be selected to install their artwork on the campus of Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina. All artists whose works are installed will receive a $1700 honorarium to offset round trip transportation, lodging, and incidental expenses. Any additional costs are the responsibility of the artists. The Rosen Sculpture Competition & Exhibition will cover the material costs of installation and de-installation. The 39th Annual Rosen Competition & Exhibition will feature four cash prizes; all winners will be designated the Martin & Doris Rosen 39th Anniversary Award Winners. The top three artists will receive the following cash prizes: $4,000 for First Place, $3,000 for Second Place and $2,000 for Third Place. The Best of Show Award recipient will receive $5000. The Rosen Sculpture Competition & Exhibition offers a sales program, brochure/map, and extensive promotion as a featured exhibition in conjunction with both the Turchin Center for the Visual Arts and the Appalachian Summer Festival, as well as permanent archiving on the competition’s website. For additional information and exhibition archive, visit: tcva.org.
2025-2026 Calendar
- Online Registration System Opens – January 10, 2025
- Deadline for Entries – March 1, 2025 @ 5 PM EST
- Notifications Emailed – March 31, 2025
- Installation Dates – May 22-23, 2025
- Exhibition Dates – May 2025 – May 2026
- Rosen Sculpture Walk & Reception – Saturday, July 12, 2025 @ 10 AM
- De-installation – May 2026
For those who want to learn more about the sculptures in the Rosen Outdoor Sculpture Competition and Exhibition from the artists themselves, download a mobile audio guide on the free app, OtoCast. Users can select “Boone, NC” from the list of active tours to begin a self-guided audio tour through the campus of Appalachian State University. The app is available in the Apple App Store and Google Play.
About the juror
This year’s competition juror is Joseph Bigley. A native of North Carolina, Joseph Bigley holds a Master of Fine Arts degree from Alfred University in Sculptural Dimensional Studies. He holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Appalachian State University. His work has been exhibited across the United States and Internationally including China, the Netherlands, Spain, Montevideo, Uruguay and Berlin. A mixed media sculptor and educator, he worked as Assistant Professor of Art, Sculpture at Spelman College in Atlanta, GA for five years. He is currently a full-time lecturer of Art at Appalachian State University and is a founder and the executive director of the Western North Carolina Sculpture Center and Park in Lenoir, NC. The Turchin Center is proud to welcome Joseph Bigley as our distinguished juror for the 39th ANNUAL ROSEN OUTDOOR SCULPTURE COMPETITION & EXHIBITION 2025-26.
2024 Exhibition Winners
Rosen Best of Show, $5,000:
Hannah Jubran, Phase #1
Rosen First Place Award, $4,000:
Andrew Light, The Ecstatic
Rosen Second Place Award, $3,000:
David Boyajian, Unfurling with Seeds
Rosen Third Place Award, $2,000:
Beau Lyday, Red Astral Planes
About the Rosen Outdoor Sculpture Competition & Exhibition
This nationally recognized juried competition, established in 1987, has long been credited with enhancing the cultural landscape of the High Country region, while serving as a highlight and point of pride for the university’s summer arts festival, An Appalachian Summer Festival.
Reflecting the vision and generosity of Martin and Doris Rosen, an extraordinary couple whose lives were shaped by the spirit of public service and philanthropy, the competition brings a remarkable array of contemporary sculpture to our campus and community.
Each year, ten sculptures are selected for exhibition, and are situated in outdoor, public settings across the university campus. A cash prize is awarded to the artist whose work is chosen as each year’s Rosen Award winner, which is announced by the juror at the popular Annual Sculpture Walk, a highlight of every summer festival season. In the last several years, two additional sculptures have been selected. One is installed on campus at Appalachian House and another at the Blowing Rock Art and History Museum.
Over the years, the exhibition program has earned an international reputation for showcasing the finest in contemporary sculpture, and has become a source of inspiration for thousands of visitors, area residents, and members of the university community who enjoy access to a diverse and ever-changing selection of outdoor sculpture each season.
Martin & Doris Rosen
Vision, generosity, and a pursuit of excellence are some of the many qualities that characterized the lives of Martin and Doris Rosen. From their years devoted to building a successful business, to their lives after retirement, revolving around family, philanthropy, and a commitment to the arts, this exceptional couple left an indelible mark on the communities in which they lived and worked.
Thanks to the continuing generosity of the Rosen Family, Martin and Doris’s legacy of support for quality visual arts programming has been continued by their children, and enables this beloved exhibition program to continue to develop and flourish. In July 1997, the Rosens donated Hephaestus, a large commissioned sculpture by Bruce White, to Appalachian State’s Permanent Collection, and it adorns the Rivers Street frontage area of the Schaefer Center for the Performing Arts to this day.
On the occasion of the Rosens’ 50th wedding anniversary in October 1999, their children established the Martin and Doris Rosen Scholarship to assist rising junior or senior art majors at Appalachian State. Tireless supporters of the arts, the Rosen Family has given so much of themselves over the years to ensure that the arts remain a strong foundation of campus and community life in the High Country. We wish to extend to them our deepest appreciation.
Contact us
If there are questions or concerns, the Rosen Outdoor Sculpture Competition & Exhibition staff will be happy to answer questions and assist with the entry process as needed.
Rosen Outdoor Sculpture Competition & Exhibition
Turchin Center for the Visual Arts
Mary Anne Redding, Senior Curator
Email: reddingm@appstate.edu
Appalachian State University
423 West King Street
Boone, NC 28608
To access the online support system for your submission please contact: support@slideroom.com.