Works of art by a renowned artist will be prominently displayed in Lansing this summer.

The Sculpture in the Streets program will bring 15 life-size statues, made of bronze by J. Seward Johnson Jr., to the city.

The statues weigh between 500 and 1,000 pounds each and will be on display from June 1 through mid-August. Lansing is one of 15 cities with a Sculpture in the Streets program and the first in Michigan, the statues will be placed in Washington Square - only blocks south of the state Capitol.

“Washington Square is the heart of the downtown and where the revitalization efforts are going on,” said Lisa Rentz, marketing manager for the Principal Shopping District.

Lansing paid $30,000 to rent the sculptures, but officials will allow people to sponsor the statues to hopefully gain $75,000, which would pay for future rentals and a statue premiere.

Corporations and individuals can sponsor a statue, at a cost of $5,000 per sculpture.

That money will pay for the program and also be used to promote the downtown development.