ROCKLAND—If it can be pushed, pulled, or pedaled for one mile, your artistic sculpture just might have a chance at the second annual Rockland Sculpture Race August 11 this year.

Last summer’s inaugural Rockland Sculpture Race brought a cartload of ingenuity, engineering and kinetic art to the streets of Rockland. Sculptor Kim Bernard, the founder of the race, wants to see the community do it again.

“Last year we had a deadline of June 1 because I wasn’t sure how many entries we were going to get,” said Bernard. “This year, I’m confident that there is enough interest and enthusiasm around the Race, so we’re extending our rolling submission deadline right up until the day before.This allows people who don’t hear about it far enough in advance to still have time be able to pull something together.”

At the moment, they have 12 entries consisting of individuals, families, and teams. Each potential participant has to include a brief description along with a drawing or photograph of the final result in the proposal.

Another difference this year is the incentive to get people to build something.

“I have approached several businesses this year for sponsorship support and that has allowed us to be able to offer the reimbursement of $100 for materials to the first 10 entries,” she said. “I’m still working on more and ideally will be able to provide all of the participants with that reimbursement, but I just can’t promise that yet.”

The winning categories this year are not just limited to speed, said Bernard. If the sculpture is a spectacle, that is, a visually striking display of “creativity, craftsmanship, uniqueness, artistic merit, daring, wildness or significance,” it has a rightful place within the Race. Other categories include: Most Outlandish Award, Craziest Costumes Award, Yute Award, Most Successful Failure Award and The Crowd Loves You Award. “Every year, it’s getting bigger and better,” she said. “We’re seeing crazy costumes, amazing, outlandish engineering. Sometimes the most entertaining racers come in dead last.”

Jurors will be Polly Saltonstall, editor of Maine Boats, Homes & Harbors; Bob Keyes, of the Portland Press Herald; and Bruce Brown, an art curator and collector.

This year, CMCA will display all of the sculptures in their courtyard following the race, weather permitting.

Just like last year, Bernard served as a Visiting Artist to Camden Rockport Middle School’s eighth grade in-house Sculpture Races, which Penobscot Bay Pilot covered in a story on June 14.

“The students broke into 20 teams, coming up with their own ideas and contraptions,” she said. “Then, I helped them facilitate their ideas and work out the mechanical issues.”

Five teams from that student sculpture race will now be entering the Rockland Sculpture Race in August.

For more information on the Sculpture Race, including Entry Information, Guidelines and Race Course visit: Rockland Sculpture Race

Related: Art on wheels: Looking ahead to the first annual Rockland People’s Sculpture Races

Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com