2026 Governors Island Ice Sculpture Show

About the Open Call

New York City-based artists and collectives/teams (up to four people) are invited to apply to compete in the fifth annual Governors Island Arts Ice Sculpture Show, to be held Saturday, February 7, 2026, on Governors Island. Applicants should submit project proposals that follow the theme of this year’s competition: Movement. We encourage applicants to think outside the box and share with us a creative interpretation of the theme in their proposals. Proposals will be selected to participate in the live carving event. Selected applicants/teams will receive an award of $2,000 to participate and will be provided with tools and production materials during the event. Selected applicants/teams will also be paired with a professional ice carver to complete the work on the day of the event. Important Dates: Deadline to apply : Monday, November 3, 2025 at 11:59pm. Selected applicants to be notified : Monday, November 17, 2025. Note : Selected applicants must accept invitation to participate by Wednesday, November 26, 2025. In-person orientation : Date TBD. Applicants should plan to be available during the week of February 2-6, 2026. Event date : Saturday, February 7, 2026 (Rain Date: Sunday, February 8, 2026). Applicant Info & Project Eligibility: Artists of all backgrounds and disciplines are encouraged to propose a design for an ice sculpture. Applicants can submit independently or work as a team. Each selected work will receive a single award of $2,000. Applicants must be available for an in-person orientation that will take place during the week of February 2-6, 2026. Applicants will need to be comfortable and able to operate power tools (with instruction) and lift ice and heavy objects during the event. Applicants will be under the counsel of a professional ice sculptor. No previous ice sculpting experience is required. Applicants should propose a work based on the use of a clear ice block sized approximately 40” x 20” x 9”. Please make sure to detail dimensions when submitting any sketches or renderings. Proposals should include a narrative description of the work, along with relevant sketches, renderings, plans, or drawings. The work does not need to remain in block dimensions. It will be constructed with ice carving tools allowing it to be cut, remolded, and shaped to varying dimensions. Please note that any additional materials required for the proposed design, not outlined above, should be supplied by the artist. Public Event & Selection: Selected applicants/teams will carve their sculptures during a two-hour public event on Governors Island, from 12 – 2pm on Saturday, February 7, 2026 (rain date on Sunday, February 8, 2026). Selected applicants will be notified by Monday, November 17, 2025. Selected applicants must accept invitation to participate by Wednesday, November 26, 2025. Winning submissions will be announced and published online by January 2026. Applicants will be required to be on site on Governors Island starting at 10am on the day of the event.

What is Offered

Selected applicants/teams will receive an award of $2,000 to participate and will be provided with tools and production materials during the event. Selected applicants/teams will also be paired with a professional ice carver to complete the work on the day of the event.

Requirements

Applicants must be New York City-based artists or collectives/teams. They must be available for an in-person orientation during the week of February 2-6, 2026, and comfortable operating power tools (with instruction) and lifting ice and heavy objects. No previous ice sculpting experience is required. Proposals should be based on a clear ice block sized approximately 40” x 20” x 9” and include a narrative description, sketches, renderings, plans, or drawings. Any additional required materials not outlined must be supplied by the artist.

How to Apply

Applicants must create a free Submittable account or sign in with Google or Facebook credentials to submit their proposals. A draft of the application can be saved for later completion. If information needs to be changed after submission, an edit request can be made. Submittable works best on Google Chrome, Firefox, and Safari. Applicants should safelist notification emails from Submittable and regularly check the email used for their account. Technical questions can be directed to the Submitter Resource Center or Submittable Customer Support.