The City of Chelsea is seeking applications from artists and artist teams to design and create a life-size, figurative, bronze statue in the likeness of John Ruiz, one of Chelsea’s most accomplished athletes and the first Latino heavyweight boxing champion of the world. Once completed, the statue will be installed in John Ruiz Park, located in the city’s dense, urban center. This project is funded by Chelsea’s Community Preservation Program.
“We want public art in our parks and other spaces to make Chelsea’s cultural diversity more visible throughout the city—a goal outlined in our recently released comprehensive plan, Chelsea ¡Pa’Lante, Onward!,” said Chelsea City Manager Fidel Maltez. “This installation also represents the first bronze statue placed in Chelsea in many years, helping expand the city’s public art landscape while highlighting a local figure whose story deserves broader recognition.”
Delia Harrington, Chelsea’s Manager of Arts, Culture, and Creative Economy, issued the call for artists along with the John Ruiz Statue Selection Committee. They stated that interested artists must first submit their response to a “Request for Qualifications,” which will be reviewed by a selection committee of Chelsea artists, municipal staff, and community members.
From the pool of applicants, the committee will select three to five finalists who will receive equal stipends to develop and submit statue proposals that must include a maquette (a small-scale 3D model). The maquettes will be shared for public comment, and reviewed by John Ruiz himself, with a final artist choice will be made by the selection committee, taking into consideration submitted community feedback.
“This approach ensures the final statue best represents John Ruiz and reflects the preferences of the community at large,” said Harrington. “It also promotes equity in the selection process and attracts a higher caliber of applicants. When we invest in public art for our community, it’s important to protect those investments by using industry standard best practices so that the end result is something Chelsea can be proud of.”
The scope of the project will include the design and casting of a permanent bronze sculpture, along with a pedestal and interpretive, ADA-accessible signage describing Ruiz’s life, career, career highlights, and connection to the Chelsea community. The statue will serve as a landmark honoring a figure whose perseverance, dedication, and accomplishments represent the strength and resilience of the city.
“John Ruiz is a huge part of Chelsea’s story, and celebrating him is deeply personal to me,” said Chelsea City Councilor-at-Large Kelly Garcia. “I grew up down the street from John, and as a little girl, I remember every neighbor running down Washington Avenue and onto Orange Street to welcome him home after he won the championship. I’ve been a huge fan ever since. It would be an honor to help bring this tribute to the park right next to my home, where families and neighbors can gather and celebrate the pride he brought to our community.”
District 6 City Councilor Giovanni Recupero has also been a big advocate for honoring Ruiz in his home city, filing several motions over the past year asking that the city dedicate a bronze statue in the heavyweight champ’s honor.
This public art competition is open to all interested artists and artist teams who are at least 18 years old and residents of the United States. Artist teams who identify as Black, Indigenous, or People of Color (BIPOC) and/or female are strongly encouraged to apply. Local artists or artist teams who live or work in Chelsea, or whose lived experience resonates with the Chelsea community, are also strongly encouraged to apply.
A full call for artists and submissions link is available for viewing on the project website: DiscoverChelseaMA.com/call-for-artists-john-ruiz-statue. Submissions will be accepted until 11:59 p.m. on Monday, October 26, 2026. No late or emailed submissions will be accepted.
An optional info session will be held via Zoom on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, from 12 to 1 p.m. ET. Please RSVP here: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86899452120
Questions must be submitted in writing no later than 4 p.m. on Tuesday, October 13, 2026. Please send your written questions to Delia Harrington at [email protected]. Responses to received questions will be posted by 4 p.m. on Friday, October 16, 2026, to the project website.