Rockford, IL – GoRockford celebrates the expansion of its CRE8IV: transformational art sculpture program with the installation of 18 new sculptures throughout the city and a new home for the beloved ROCKFORD letters.

Eighteen sculptures have been installed throughout Rockford, made possible thanks to an arts grant from the City of Rockford. GoRockford’s sculpture program began in 2015 when nine pieces were installed in downtown Rockford. The donor-funded program has steadily grown to include 10 owned pieces and an additional five leased pieces, bringing the total number of pieces currently on display to 33, located throughout the City of Rockford. These pieces complement sculptures owned and displayed by the Rockford Park District, the Rockford Art Museum, and the City of Rockford.

“We couldn’t be more thrilled to see the CRE8IV sculpture program continue to grow. It’s incredibly rewarding when people recognize Rockford as an arts-forward city, with vibrant activity on our main corridors and extending into our neighborhoods,” said GoRockford’s Executive Vice President, Kristen Paul. “We are deeply grateful to our partners at the City of Rockford, Durascape, Crazy Joe’s Wraps and Midwest Crane & Rigging for helping make this our largest installation yet—and a special thanks to the talented artists who bring this vision to life.”

In expanding the CRE8IV sculpture program, GoRockford made it a priority to install sculptures in additional neighborhoods across the community, including along West State Street, South Main Street, Perryville Road, Broadway, 7th Street, Harrison Avenue, the Edgewater neighborhood, and downtown Rockford. This intentional geographic expansion reflects recommendations from Thrive 2035, which calls for strengthening Rockford’s identity as a creative and welcoming destination by elevating public art and storytelling throughout the city. It also aligns with the Rockford Region’s Culture Plan, which emphasizes access to arts and culture for all residents and the importance of embedding creative expression into daily community life.

By situating sculptures in both historic corridors and emerging growth areas, the expansion not only beautifies high-traffic gateways and neighborhood centers but also reinforces Rockford’s broader strategy to use public art as a driver of economic vitality, placemaking, and civic pride.

“The City of Rockford is proud to support the CRE8IV Sculpture Program through our arts grant program,” said City of Rockford Mayor Tom McNamara. “Public art is more than decoration; it’s a reflection of who we are as a community. By investing in projects like this, we’re making sure art is accessible in every neighborhood, strengthening pride in our city, and showing that Rockford is a place where creativity thrives.”

 

“Public art lifts our spirits and, in doing so, elevates our quality of life, which pays economic dividends to us as a community in the long run. The work of GoRockford on this front is so important because communities people want to visit are likely communities where people want to live,” said Mark Bonne, 14th Ward Alderman.

ROCKFORD LETTERS

The iconic “ROCKFORD” letters have been relocated from Davis Park to the riverfront behind 127 N. Wyman Street, immediately south of the Rockford Public Library. Positioned along one of the city’s most scenic vantage points, the installation offers residents and visitors a place to capture photos while also experiencing the beauty of the Rock River.

 

 

WEST STATE STREET
1.  Sculpture Name: “Sunstruck”
     Location: West State St., across from Ellis Elementary School
     Artist: Nicole Beck

2.  Sculpture Name: “Window”
     Location: West State St. at Jefferson St.
     Artist: Paul Bobrowitz

3.  Sculpture Name: “Astron”
     Location: West State St. at Jefferson St.
     Artist: Peter Krsko and Nathan “Sloke One” Nordstrom
 

4.  Sculpture Name: “Skyward”
     Location: West State St. at Jefferson St.
     Artist: Ben Pierce

DOWNTOWN
5.  Sculpture Name: “Florette II"
     Location: Elm St. between S. Main St. & Wyman St.
     Artist: Sam Spiczka

6.  Sculpture Name: “Crystalline”
     Location: West bank of the Rock River behind Rockford Public Library
     Artist: Ben Pierce

HARRISON AVENUE
7.  Sculpture Name: “Reach”
     Location: 4949 Harrison Ave.
     Artist: Ben Pierce

8.  Sculpture Name: “Flux”
     Location: 4949 Harrison Ave.
     Artist: Luke Achterberg

BROADWAY

9.  Sculpture Name: “Triangle Play II”
     Location: 1225 Broadway
     Artist: Sunghee Min

10.  Sculpture Name: “Here Comes the Sun”
     Location: 1242 Broadway
     Artist: Ben Pierce

7th STREET

11. Sculpture Name: “Greeting Tower”
      Location: Corner of 7th St. and 4th Ave.
      Artist: Sunghee Min

THE NORTH END

12. Sculpture Name: “Cardinal”
      Location: Harlem Blvd. and Ellis Ave. on the river bank
      Artist: Zan Knecht

13. Sculpture Name: “Unsure if this Peace is Abstract”
      Location: Triangular Intersection of Clinton St., Oxford St., and Ellis Ave.
      Artist: Ben Pierce

PERRYVILLE ROAD

14. Sculpture Name: “Neither Toil, Nor Spin”
      Location: Along the Perryville Path, southwest corner of Perryville Rd. and Guilford Rd.
      Artist: Ben Pierce

15. Sculpture Name: “Composition #1”
Location: Along the Perryville Path, southwest corner of Perryville Rd. and Springbrook Rd.
      Artist: Chris Plaisted

16. Sculpture Name: “Liquid Sunshine”
      Location: Along the Perryville Path, Perryville Rd., between Sentinel Rd. and Guilford Rd. (west side)
      Artist: Michael Alfano

SOUTH MAIN STREET
17. Sculpture Name: “Thank You Degas”
      Location: Near 1706 S. Main St., along the riverside path
      Artist: Terry Karpowicz

18. Sculpture Name: “Phoenix”
      Location: 1824 S. Main St., along the river path
      Artist: Chris Plaisted
 

Additional CRE8IV Sculptures
In addition to the new sculptures, 15 additional pieces are on display through CRE8IV sculptures. GoRockford has 10 permanently on display, along with five sculptures currently starting the second year of their two-year lease. Community sponsors and donors entirely fund the CRE8IV sculpture program.

Permanent Sculptures

  • “Column Triangle” by Christopher Newman, located at E. State and 3rd Street, was donated by the artist and has been installed since 2018. 
  • “Focus” by Ben Pierce, located at 111 N. Main Street, was purchased by GoRockford and installed in 2018.
  • “Heels Over Head” by Paul Bobrowitz, located at 333 E. State Street, was donated by Jennifer Furst and installed in 2018.
  • “Hold Me Up” by Ben Pierce, located south of the Veterans Memorial Circle on North Main Street, donated by the Dean Alan Olson Foundation.
  • “Magical Thinking” by Actual Size Artworks, located at Rockford City Market, was donated by David & Colleen Anderson Charitable Foundation and Bucciferro Family McDonald's.
  • “Hesitant” by Ben Pierce, located on the 2200 block of Huffman, donated by Winnebago County.
  • “High Flight” by Christopher Newman, located at the College Ave. roundabout, was donated by the artist.
  • “Together” by unknown artist, located at the 2200 block of Huffman was purchased by GoRockford.
  • “Totem V” by Christopher Newman, located at 630 W. State St., was donated by the artist.
  • “Two Cubes” by Christopher Newman, located at W. State and Avon St., was donated by the artist. 

Additional CRE8IV Sculptures

  • “Millennium Gate” by Jim Gallucci, located behind 127 N. Wyman St.
  • “Keyhole Flutter Gateway” by Jim Gallucci, located at the corner of Wyman and Elm streets.
  • “Xabana” by Matthias Neumann, located at E. State and 3rd St.
  • “Steve and Rachel” by John V. McNamara — set at the intersection of Main and Mulberry streets and sponsored by Tom & Darlene Furst, Liz Dickenson, and Gerrie Gustafson.