Horse Sculptures Coming Back This Summer To Freehold Art Walk

FREEHOLD, NJ — Public art lovers can look forward to another summer of the Half Mile of Horses Art Walk in Freehold Borough.

The call has been put out to artists to participate - and there will be even more horse sculptures available to be placed along Main Street in this borough that is also the Monmouth County seat.

"We love that this project brought such positivity to the community, got people talking, and brought people to our town from all over to view," said Dominica R. Napolitano of the borough Planning Board.

For summer of 2023, she said the Neighborhood Preservation Program and other groups met at the end of the year to review what projects were accomplished and how they all went.

"We all agreed that the Half Mile of Horses Art Walk project was a success and would definitely do again this year," she said.

Now the Neighborhood Preservation Program and the Freehold Borough Historic Preservation Commission with Downtown Freehold are calling all artists to participate in the 2023 Half Mile of Horses Art Walk.

Artist submissions are due by Friday, April 28.

Last year, there were twelve horses. This summer there will be six more added, Napolitano said.

As with last year, there is no specific theme for the artists to decorate the now 18 horses.

"The theme was and is to get creative designs from various artists bringing their work to fruition and on display along Main Street in our downtown," she noted.

A resolution of approval by Mayor and Council of the Implementation Plan was required by the state Department of Community Affairs for renewing and providing funds for the project, Napolitano said. The resolution was approved Jan. 17, she said.

The artist design competition packet is already published online and can be obtained by clicking this link. Artists can follow the instructions and submit a design. See Half Mile of Horses Art Walk – 2023 Artist Information Packet.

The project involves painted horse sculptures decorating Main Street, honoring the equine heritage of Freehold Borough (home to the oldest half-mile horse racing track in the county).

The goal is to combine creativity and history, the borough notes in the information packet.

Thousands of people are expected to view and engage with the installation while patronizing the restaurants and shops in Freehold’s downtown. Both sponsors and artists will be promoted in print and social media, at events and on public display with their sculpture.

All artist submissions will be judged by the Neighborhood Preservation Committee. Detailed and carefully executed designs are more likely to be chosen, the artist packet notes.

Completed designs (a maximum of three submissions per artist) need to be submitted via email to freeholdboronpp@freeholdboro.org or mailed to Borough Hall, 30 Mechanic St., Freehold 07728; Attn: Dominica Napolitano by Friday, April 28, for selection committee review.

Winners will be announced the week of May 1. Winning artists will also be contacted directly.

Selected artists will be issued a hard-coated horse sculpture to paint on their design. The undecorated horse sculptures will be available for pick up at StoneDog Studios, located at 17 Bannard Street #12 in Freehold during the week of May 29.

Artists will have four weeks to bring their design to fruition. Completed sculptures must be returned to StoneDog Studios during the week of June 26 to June 30.

The horses will be on display on Main Street from July to October. An accompanying QR code will
be attached to each sculpture base. The public will be encouraged to vote for their favorite horses.

Then, a ribbon ceremony identifying the winning horses (Win, Place and Show) will take place in front of the Hall of Records in October.