Project GREEN Receives $4,000 Public Art Matching Grant for New Sculpture

June 2026

Project GREEN is pleased to announce that it has been awarded a $4,000 Public Art Matching Grant from the City of Iowa City to support the installation of a new public artwork at the Project GREEN Gardens at the Ashton House, located at 820 Park Road, Iowa City, Iowa.

The grant will fund the installation of “Lunar Horizon,” a moongate sculpture created by Iowa artist Nick Goergen.

A visualization of the new moongate sculpture

Nick Goergen is an Intermedia artist born and raised in Arizona; currently practicing in Iowa City, Iowa. His work speaks of concepts such as memory, language and magic as places where the past, present and future intersect. His works primarily include sculpture, and installation works with agrarian sensibilities. Through a relationship with the land and its people, Nick hopes to deepen emotional ties to our biome and our neighbors.

Project GREEN volunteer and artist Nick Goergen creating the soon-to-be installed Lunar Horizon moongate sculpture at the Project GREEN Gardens.

The sculpture will become a permanent feature of the gardens, enhancing the site’s role as a place for reflection, beauty, and community engagement.

Inspired by the timeless symbolism of the moon gate as a passage, threshold, and frame for viewing the landscape, Lunar Horizon will provide visitors with a unique visual experience while complementing the natural setting of the Project GREEN gardens.
Project GREEN is grateful to the City of Iowa City for its support of public art. This grant allows us to bring an inspiring work of art to the Project GREEN Gardens and further our mission of creating accessible, beautiful public spaces for residents and visitors alike.

Installation of Lunar Horizon is scheduled to take place in late June and early July 2026, with the sculpture expected to be available for public viewing upon completion.

The Public Art Matching Grant program supports projects that expand access to the arts and enhance Iowa City’s public spaces through creative expression. The addition of Lunar Horizon reflects Project GREEN’s ongoing commitment to integrating art, nature, and community within the Project GREEN Gardens.

A short video update of Nick Goergen’s progress on the the scuplture: