1. What is the Carroll Creek Kinetic Art Promenade?

We are a not-for-profit privately funded community enhancement project initiated and managed by the Rotary Club of Carroll Creek, which pursues its legacy of adding vitality and beautification to Downtown Frederick, Maryland.

We operate a 100% volunteer project that offers residents and organizations the opportunity to sponsor regional metal artisans in the creation of kinetic sculptures or to partner their resources towards the display of kinetic artwork.

2. Why kinetic art?

Visual art is a universal language. It resonates with people and brings them together. Kinetic art is simply mesmerizing and induces a peaceful and contemplative state.

3. Where is the Carroll Creek Kinetic Art Promenade?

We display eight kinetic sculptures year-round in the middle of Carroll Creek in the segment located east of East Street, Downtown Frederick. 

Our intimate metal sculptures express a rich blend of history, artistry, and inspiration. They are appropriately separated from each other and provide eye-level enjoyment from the promenade.

View our 2 1/2 -Minute Aerial Video

4. Who are our participants?

We launched our project in 2020 by inviting regional artisans living within 80 miles of Frederick to submit their kinetic sculpture designs, and by encouraging local individuals and organizations to sponsor the creation process and eventually become the rightful owners.

We now use a pairing process whereby potential sponsors are introduced to talented artisans early during the creative stage. See 7 below.

See our Artisans and their kinetic sculptures

Meet our Sponsors/Owners 

A small army of generous partners has contributed financial and in-kind resources to help us establish our physical and digital infrastructure for years to come.

View the list of our Partners

We manage the project through an Executive Committee, an Artistic Review Committee, and an Installation Committee.

Meet our Management Teams

5. How do we exhibit?

Our kinetic exhibit displays eight impressive sculptures.

A kinetic sculpture is exhibited in Carroll Creek for a minimum of one year, which period can be extended annually for up to three years, should the sponsor/owner so decide.

Each April, we replace some of the current kinetic sculptures and add new ones to our exhibit, thus providing a constant artistic renewal.

Frederick Health Village has enthusiastically agreed to host on its 90-acre campus the kinetic sculptures that will eventually be rotated off our main exhibit, thus perpetuating the artistic legacy of our sponsors/owners, should they decide to donate their sculptures rather than display them privately.

6. Do you want a visual tour of our project?

Browse the pictures and videos collected since the inception of our project at Gallery

7. Which submittal approach do we use?

We use a collaborative approach by facilitating the pairing of talented metal artisans with interested sponsors early during the creative stage.

Interested regional metal artisans can contact us year-round to discuss their intention to participate in our project and eventually be listed as possible candidates.

Early in the year, we introduce interested sponsors to our listed artisans by guiding the sponsors to the artisans’ respective website for them to gain an appreciation of the artisans’ portfolios.

Once an interested sponsor has selected the artisan with whom he/she wants to work, we encourage an exchange of ideas towards the creation of a kinetic art design, which is eventually submitted by the artisan as explained in 9 below.

We are excited and confident this collaborative approach will provide an excellent opportunity to customize the artwork and foster a fun, inspiring, and rewarding experience for both our artisans and sponsors.

8. What are our specs for a kinetic sculpture?

A kinetic sculpture should be made mostly of metal to withstand the elements. It can measure up to 10 feet in height above water, span no more than 12 feet in width, and weigh no more than 500 pounds. A kinetic sculpture is installed in the middle of Carroll Creek, which is about 24 foot wide and 4 foot deep, thus providing sufficient margins for safety and vandalism reasons.

During installation, a kinetic sculpture’s main post slides into the central cylinder of our underwater anchor (Pyramid) and is then leveled and stabilized.

See our Specs & Installation 

We contract for the heavy machinery required to install and remove a kinetic sculpture from Carroll Creek, and we charge the sponsor/owner an annual $500 display fee for that service as well as for the usage of our Pyramid.

9. What is our anticipated budget, timetable, and approval process?

Our budgetary guideline is up to $15,000 per kinetic sculpture unless a sponsor agrees to more.

We start the pairing of artisans and sponsors early in the year. After an artisan and a sponsor have agreed on a design and before the end of May, the artisan submits a Summary Proposal for review and validation by our internal Artistic Review Committee. Once the design is internally approved and before the end of August, the artisan submits the Full Proposal, which is presented to the City of Frederick’s Public Art Commission (artistic content) and its Parks & Recreation Commission (display in Carroll Creek) for final approvals in early September.

After the approvals are obtained from the City of Frederick, our Sponsor-Artisan Agreement is signed by early October, and the fabrication of the kinetic sculpture follows and extends until its installation in our Carroll Creek kinetic exhibit the following April.

10. What does our Sponsor-Artisan Agreement contain?

The agreement specifies the usual terms and conditions such as price, payments, installation and removal, insurance, adjustments to a kinetic sculpture, and ownership.

After the installation of a kinetic sculpture in our exhibit and once the last of three payments is made to the artisan, the sponsor becomes the owner of the kinetic sculpture while the artisan retains the copyright to the artwork, including the design and sketches.

View our Sponsor-Artisan Agreement

11. How do we recognize our participants?

We have two creek side interpretative panels that illustrate and describe each kinetic sculpture and list all our participants.

Besides keeping our website up to date, we periodically distribute new developments about our project to a wide audience including individuals, organizations, government agencies, and the media.

On a monthly basis, we also distribute Good Winds, a publication featuring our participants, and we regularly post information, pictures, and videos via Facebook and Instagram.

12. How can you get involved?

You can share the news about Carroll Creek Kinetic Art Promenade and links to our website with your family, friends, and business associates.

As a regional metal artisan, you can contribute artistic vibrancy to our project by contacting us year-round to discuss your willingness to participate and be listed as an interested artisan.

You can make a difference in our community by becoming a sponsor and commissioning a talented regional artisan who can design and fabricate a kinetic sculpture.

You can join our group of distinguished partners by contributing your in-kind or financial resources to our project.

Learn more about how to Get Involved

13. Looking for inspiring ideas?

We have assembled pictures and videos of kinetic sculptures created by metal sculptors from across the country, and you might find them interesting and inspiring. 

Browse through our Inspiration Page   

Thanks for your interest and consideration, and please don’t hesitate to Contact us to discuss your plans or for any additional information.