In a studio tucked inside the University of Northern Iowa’s Kamerick Art Building, summer is anything but quiet. 

Instead of empty classrooms, sparks are flying and sculptures are taking shape as students work alongside faculty on public art projects that will soon become permanent installations across Iowa. This summer, one of the biggest projects celebrates the Iowa State Fair. 

Commissioned by the Iowa State Fair to create a new landmark installation, UNI professor and sculptor Dan Perry has welcomed students to help bring his design to life through each stage of the fabrication process. Together, they transform raw materials into a public artwork that is now a part of the fairgrounds.

The five-piece sculpture stands in the Ruan Plaza circle near the Giant Slide and the Varied Industries Building, welcoming fairgoers for years to come.

The installation traces the evolution of Iowa agriculture and the State Fair, with forms inspired by a plow, seed, sprout and flourishing plant. Each piece features part of the Iowa State Fairgrounds map and will be illuminated from within to create a display both during the day and night. 

“You’re really thinking about this from a 360-degree point of view,” said Perry. “How it’s seen from the ground, above and from all those different angles, especially with the Sky Glider in mind.”

The project is one example of UNI’s Public Art Incubator, which since 2011 has completed more than 60 public art projects throughout Iowa and beyond. Every commissioned project is supported through funding secured by community partners, giving students paid professional experience while earning their degrees.

“A lot of these students have little to no fabrication experience when they start,” said Perry. “There’s a little bit of a learning curve, but it’s amazing how fast they pick it up.”

That experience helps students build portfolios before graduation while creating artwork that becomes part of communities across the state.

“You have a lot of responsibility to make it look good and something that the community can be proud of,” said junior Owen McCormick of Ames, who is pursuing a degree in art education. “These things don’t just go up and then fade away. They're out there and may exist for years, decades maybe.”

Among this summer’s work is a project for Waverly schools. Similar to UNI’s Panthers on Parade statues, a 3D statue of the school mascot was first created in spring 2025 by UNI student Grace Pratt and further brought to life almost entirely by students at Waverly and UNI. 

First in the process is for students to create miniature clay models before fabricating the full-size sculptures. It helps visualize the process from concept to installation. 

“It’s always the first idea where you hash out all of your thinking,” said Mia Eddleman of Bondurant, an aspiring high school art teacher who also recently completed her own sculpture for the Clear Lake Arts Center. “We can make mistakes with the models and learn before translating it to these bigger ideas.” 

For Josie Schauls, an art education major from Des Moines,  seeing completed sculptures installed has been one of the most rewarding parts of the experience, especially new animal sculptures now found along the Cedar Falls recreational trails. 

“Last year we did three low-poly animals, and that was my first year at the Incubator,” said Schauls. “It was a lot of work, but seeing them out and displayed now has been really rewarding.”

The incubator has built partnerships with communities and artists throughout the Midwest, including projects at the University of Iowa, Iowa State University and the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

For instructor Tim Jorgensen, the program reflects one of UNI’s greatest strengths.

“The size of UNI makes it doable,” said Jorgensen. “We’re closer to our students, and with smaller class sizes we’re able to create more connections with students and get them interested in things like this because a lot of students don’t come to school thinking this is even an option.”

Now that the Iowa State Fair sculpture has been installed, it stands as another example of the university’s growing impact across the state. 

Wherever you go, chances are you’ll find a piece of UNI — one sculpture, one student and one community at a time.