Artist Open Call: Which Woolwich Stories

WHICH WOOLWICH STORIES – ARTISTS’ OPEN CALL

Commissioning work as part of the Woolwich High Street Heritage Action Zone

Local artists are invited to submit work to the open call for a commission to develop and produce art work and interventions which will form part of a trail in locations across the Woolwich Conservation Area. Each commission will tell part of the story of Woolwich; creating ‘connected chapters’ told through public art, sculpture, dance, theatre, music, photography and street arts.

A commission fee of up to £2,500 is offered and we expect to commission up to 8 artists.

Key Dates:

The open call will close at 5pm on Sunday 12th March 2023.

If you would like to know more, you take a look at the Information Session Powerpoint Presentation (see button below).

These sessions are for artists who are interested in submitting proposals as well as people who are interested in supporting the development of the overall project.

Interviews for shortlisted applicants are due to take place between 20^th – 22^nd March. Selected artists will be notified by 24^th March 2023.

Submit your Proposal via this Online Form

Please download and complete the Equality & Diversity Form (.docx). You will be able to upload this on the online form.

We are particularly keen on receiving proposals from candidates who are Black or from the Global Majority.

We also want to support disabled, neurodivergent or socio-economically disadvantaged artists. So please if there are any questions or we can assist your proposal in any way, do email [email protected]

If you have any issues with completing the form online, you can download a Word version of the form here. Once completed please email the completed form to [email protected] by the closing date.

If you need additional support with your proposal, please email Katrina Man (Project Manager) via [email protected]

Some details of your proposal may be shared with others (e.g. community members) as part of the selection process, but no personal details will be shared.

Q1. Does my proposed artwork have to be new?

No. We welcome proposals involving both new and or existing (or old) artwork, installation or performance piece. It may be that you have an idea for a new piece of work or a way to make an existing piece of work even more relevant to Woolwich today and suitable for the environment in which it will be located.

The work you are proposing must:

• be relevant to the people and place of Woolwich
• respond to this open call

Q2. We have developed work in Greenwich Town Centre and have strong connections there. Would this work, or work developed in other parts of the Borough, be suitable for this open call?

This open call opportunity focuses on delivering artwork as part of the Woolwich High Street Heritage Action Zone programme. Therefore, proposals must demonstrate how the work has a genuine connection and relevance to the communities of Woolwich specifically.

Q3. Does the community engagement have to happen before my work is created or can the engagement element take place once the work and project goes ‘live’ in the High Street in June?

The engagement aspect can take place either during the creation stage or afterwards, once the project goes live. We will be interested in the nature of the engagement, how it relates to and is relevant to Woolwich and the local community. We are therefore happy to consider a range of approaches as long as there is some form of strong community engagement as a part of the commissioned work and its display as a part of the cultural trail in Woolwich.

Q4. Do all workshops and other facilitated sessions have to be included in the max £2,500 commission fee?

If the workshops and other facilitated sessions are essential to the creation of your commissioned work then we would like to see at least some of these costs accounted for in your £2,500 budget breakdown. We do have additional funds to cover the costs of some workshops and other facilitated sessions, if required. Please provide as much information as possible in your proposal about what support and funding you would need.

Q5. Do I have to do the workshops and other facilitated sessions myself?

No you do not have to facilitate the engagement workshop sessions yourself.

We will have a facilitator to support the workshop sessions where required or necessary. We are also happy for you to collaborate with others to deliver the workshops and other facilitated sessions. Please state this clearly in your proposal.

Q6. Would I receive help from you with identifying locations where my work can be installed, along with help with any issues around landownership and building usage etc.?

Yes, we are happy to work with you to confirm the best place for your work to be installed within the Woolwich High Street Heritage Action Zone area. In your proposal, it would be very helpful for you to indicate the types of location(s) where you think your work could be displayed at this stage: demonstrating that you have considered the practicalities of installing the work and the experience of members of the public who will engage with the work in that location(s).

Please refer to this map of the designated area and this Woolwich Conservation Area Appraisal pack containing key buildings and sites information.

We will try to assist you with issues around landownership and building usage etc. as much as possible.

Q7. Will you provide help with installing the artwork or locating the performance piece etc?

We can provide some assistance with installing your work. Please describe clearly in your proposal what assistance you would need with this.

Q8. Does my work have to be sustainable?

At EEA we try to ensure that our practices and productions are sustainable where possible; that we are always sensitive to our surroundings; that there will be no lasting impact on wildlife or natural habitats, and we will never compromise the safety of our audiences. We like to encourage the artists and creatives that we work with to do the same. If you have considered sustainability or environmental impact in developing your work then please let us know. It is not an essential requirement for this open call, but it is important to all of the partners involved in the overall delivery of this project.