Like a work of art, the Slug Queen is not always beautiful, but she is provocative, and as an icon she says more about our pride in individualism and the divisive political environment of Eugene in particular, than an army of ducks. In a city that defines itself as the “World’s greatest City of the Arts and Outdoors”, only the Slug Queen unites these two concepts with humor and panache. This special exhibition takes a close up look at the Eugene Slug Queen and allows us to reflect on her outwardly whimsical nature and her deeper meaning as the guardian of our cherished unique position in U.S. popular culture. To see a sample of original art presented at the 2008 salon click here. Artists wishing to participate in the 2009 salon can lean more here.

Although it's true the (newly appointed) Eugene Public Arts Committee turned down an initial proposal to place a bronze Slug Queen in a public garden, we are not deterred. There can be no question that the Slug Queen has enjoyed unusual bi-partisan celebration here in Eugene and recently the rest of the world has begun to take notice. This website alone gets hundreds of hits from all over the U.S. and the world-so clearly there are free-spirited people everywhere who look to Eugene as a beacon of non-conformity. And we are proud of it. We may not be able to get City Hall to fill a couple of city pits downtown (yet)--but we can still get our Slug Queen! If you'd like to know more about this symbol of Eugene's irreverence, unique sense of humor, pride in diversity and how to help get her made for the public click here.

For just one day, at Eugene's famous Saturday Market, anyone could be Slug Queen...were you? to see who made it to gastropod queen for a day...click here.