For the past ten years, talented local artists have been quietly transforming Rochester’s public parks by installing original art along Rochester’s bike trails. This public art initiative, called Art4Trails, was created by a dedicated group of volunteers in 2016 and has since been adopted by the Rochester Art Center. Since its beginning, Art4Trails has shared 42 works of public art around the community, including 14 permanent sculptures and a series of temporary sculptures.
The Art4Trails Google Map marks the location for the 2026 installations as well as the permanent Art4Trails installations.
To select each year’s new sculptures, local artists are invited to submit their sculpture designs. A panel of judges then chooses which designs will get to be brought to life right along our favorite trails.
Ready for your next weekend adventure? Three new sculptures recently made their debut along our city’s trails, making it a great time to enjoy some outdoor art!
- “Sunburst” by Patricia Stephens is located at River Landing behind the Government Center
- “The Third Place” by Olivia Mulvey Morawiecki is located at Mayo Park
- “Under Her Wing” by Judd Nelson is located at Slatterly Park
In describing “Sunburst”, Patricia Stephens shares, “Going outside after days of gloomy weather, you look up into the sunshine. Eyes and arms raised, you take in the sunshine. […] This sculpture is my interpretation of how we are all part of the world we share.”
That’s the beauty of Art4Trails. For ten years, these creative installations have been reminding us to pause, notice, and remember that we are all part of the world we share. We each bring beauty to the Rochester community in different ways, and when we slow down to take notice of it, our community is transformed.
So grab your bike, hit the trails, and discover some of Rochester’s unique open-air art!
To learn more about Art4Trails and to listen to the artists share about the sculptures: https://www.rochesterartcenter.org/art4trails
