Slim, the winning sculpture from the 2017 People’s Choice was delivered this week to the Tony’s Pizza Events Center. “Slim,” created by Hastings, Minn., native Dale Lewis, is a purchase from the City of Salina through a partnership with Salina Downtown Inc. to increase arts in our community.

The sculpture features a life-sized elephant made by wrapping strips of gray-painted steel around a steel rod armature. The strips were cut from salvaged door panels and include satellite dishes for ears and chrome motorcycle mufflers for tusks. “This is the 7th People Choice placement” said Brad Anderson, Salina Arts & Humanities Executive Director, “We are blessed to live in a community that shows such strong support for the arts and are excited to place Slim in his new home.

“I have been a fan of this program since the very start and truly commend Salina Downtown Inc for their efforts to integrate art into our community.” said Susan Trafton, Tony’s Pizza Events Center Director of Sales & Marketing “We’re proud to have them as a new building partner this year and thrilled that one of the former fan favorites Salina Sculpture Tour will now reside at the Tony’s Pizza Events Center.”

Sculpture Tour Salina is an outdoor exhibit of sculptures that changes each spring. As a partner of Salina Downtown Inc we encourage you to stroll through our thriving downtown, tour the sculptures, and vote for your favorite piece. Each year, votes are tallied and the City of Salina purchases the “People’s Choice” winning sculpture to add to its permanent collection. In addition to the “People’s Choice” award, artists are eligible for cash prizes totaling over $5,000. The 2017 show features twenty-two unique sculptures.