COoL (Creative Organisations of Liverpool) and Public Health Liverpool are looking to commission 2 artists over the next couple of months (September-October 2020) to deliver high quality public art, that can communicate key public safety messaging in a community-focused, innovative and invigorating way.
Each commission will be £3000. They are particularly interested in visual arts, video, and animation, but are very open to multi-disciplinary artists and new ways of working
COoL have recently teamed up with Liverpool Public Health to develop and showcase creative ways to share important health messaging.
This is starting now through creative consultation with young people (14 – 25 years) across Liverpool to understand their thoughts and concerns over Covid-19. This Creative Insight will then be used to inform and develop these two artistic commissions and create a young person’s steering group for public health messaging.
WHAT THEY ARE LOOKING FOR
They are looking for high-quality proposals from artists that are willing to explore the Creative Insight to create new and engaging artwork that can reach and influence masses of young people via a creative marketing campaign across Liverpool.
This is an incredible opportunity not only to showcase you and your work on a large scale, but to also access audiences who are less engaged with the arts by using innovative creative messaging. You and your work can make a difference!
They’re keen to receive proposals that are visual arts focused; illustration, animation, moving image, photography, film. However, they would also welcome proposals from artists who wish to create a combination of the above and potentially bring in other areas such as spoken word, music, performance etc.
They would also welcome collaborative proposals from a group of artists. All proposals must have the ability to work in print and online.
The two commissions selected will be:
- new, high profile and thought-provoking, bringing vibrancy to the streets and online
- engaging content that will be able to reach a large audience, especially young people
- able to deliver key public health messages via a marketing campaign
- made in collaboration with the young person’s steering group and based on Creative Insight findings
They anticipate commissioning two different style of artist/s to ensure this offers a diverse and engaging end result for audiences, meeting the objectives of Liverpool Public Health.
They are interested in receiving applications from artists with an interest in participation and socially engaged practice, from diverse backgrounds, with unique personal perspectives to offer. They are also keen that this opportunity is used by the artists to learn and stretch their practice, and this learning is, where possible, shared.
BUDGET
The value of each commissions is £3,000 (+VAT). This will be delivered in two instalments at the beginning and end of the project.
SUPPORT
In addition to the budget, Open Culture and Homotopia (COoL members leading this element of the project) will provide practical advice, curatorial support and mentoring where needed. We will work with you to develop your proposal in line with the Creative Insight and facilitate any collaborations with other organisations if relevant – providing contacts and networks to elevate your activity.
BACKGROUND
COoL (Creative Organisations of Liverpool – https://cool-collective.co.uk/ ) is a collective of 27 key arts organisations based in the Liverpool City Region, it is the leading cultural partnership model of its kind in the UK.
COoL plays a pivotal role in promoting the cultural offer of the Liverpool City Region by championing inclusivity, diversity, participation and collaborative working practices. Members are locally, nationally and internationally recognised in their abilities across all arts including visual arts, theatre, film, dance, comedy, music, literature, and festival production.
PUBLIC HEALTH OBJECTIVES
These are the current Public Health Guidelines which will form the basis of the Creative Insight and artist’s messaging
1) To increase engagement and compliance amongst young people with regards to the following public health messages:
- Wash your hands regularly
- Avoid crowds and keep 2 metres apart where possible when out and about
- Wear face coverings on public transport and in shops. Plus, please wear face coverings when you can’t keep 2 metres apart.
- Crucially, stay at home if you have symptoms and get tested
2) To increase awareness that you can spread Covid-19 even if feeling fine
3) To increase awareness of Test and Trace
SUBMIT A PROPOSAL
If you want to talk about your proposal prior to submitting, please get in touch with them on the details below.
- Your proposal should be no more than 2 or 3 sides of A4
- Your proposal must be artist-led and a high-quality artistic offer (you can talk about any partner organisations if necessary)
- Outline of your artwork, style and the methods you’d like to use to produce the final artwork. Your final artwork/s must be an original piece of work, which is either brand-new or a development of an existing project or artwork
- Your proposal must outline your experience and/or understanding of following a brief to develop a design/artwork. Please detail one or two relevant past projects, which show your experience of making high-quality artistic work in the public realm, and past community engagement in their practice. Images/weblinks to support your proposal welcomed
- Tell them how your artistic ideas and style fulfills this brief. Why is it high quality, what makes it interesting and how does it engage audiences (Please note that although we expect proposals not have a fully fixed final plan yet (as they are subject to consultation), we want to hear what artform/s you would use to create your final piece of art / design, and how your proposal would utilise and be informed by the Creative Insight developed with young people)
- Please supply a brief budget breakdown to include all costs for artist fees, planning and delivery, travel, materials and equipment. The majority of this budget should be spend on artist time. Your activity must be delivered on time and within budget
- Please also include any in-kind support in your budget (i.e. free use of equipment, etc.)
- You must have public liability insurance or be prepared to get it for delivery of the project
- Your full name, address and contact information
- Details of a referee
Selection will be based on your ability to deliver the work to a high artistic standard and within the timescales and budget.
Please email your proposal to Commissions.cool@gmail.com by the deadline midnight 31 August 2020.
KEY DATES
17 August Young person’s Creative Consultancy starts
31 August 2020 Deadline for Artists proposals
3 Sept 2020 Short follow up calls to shortlisted artists
4 Sept 2020 Artists confirmed & contracted
w/c 7 Sept 2020 First fee instalment paid
9 Sept 2020 Initial Creative Insight delivered, and young person’s steering group established
25 Sept 2020 Draft artwork supplied to Commissioners
5 Oct 2020 Final artwork delivered to Commissioners
w/c 12 Oct 2020 Final Fee Instalment Paid
KEY CONTACTS
Please email Commissions.cool@gmail.com to arrange a quick phone chat or with any questions.