Mentor calls for artists to turn rain barrels into public art
MENTOR, Ohio (WOIO) - The Mentor Community Arts Commission issued a call for artists on social media Monday for Water Barrel Wonders 2026.
The commission is asking artists to transform rain barrels into functional works of art to help protect Lake Erie.
The commission and the city of Mentor are seeking artists to bring the barrels to life for a citywide summer celebration.
Selected artists will have their work displayed in prominent locations throughout Mentor.
Each barrel will be a featured stop in a citywide scavenger hunt, complete with custom QR codes for participants to check in and enter to win first-, second- and third-place prizes, according to the commission.
Artists will also have the chance to sell their barrels through an online auction.
The commission said selected artists will receive $75 for materials, plus an additional $50 upon delivery and approval of the finished barrel.
Important dates the Mentor Community Arts Commission shared are as followed:
Submission deadline: Wednesday, April 29, 2026, by 4 p.m.
Artist notification: On or before May 4, 2026
Barrel pickup: May 6 to May 8, 2026
Completion deadline: June 17, 2026
Exhibition: June through August 2026
Those interested must complete an application form and submit a full-color proposed design using templates provided by the commission for both the front and back of the barrel.
There is a $10 application fee payable to the city of Mentor. Entries can be submitted by email to Wildwood@cityofmentor.com or mailed to Wildwood Cultural Center, Attn: Rain Wonders Project, 8500 Civic Center Blvd., Mentor, OH 44060.