Open Call: OUR TOWN Artist commission

Yeovil Art Space (YAS) invites creative practitioners/artists (individuals or groups) to submit an Expression of Interest to work with our Art Action Group (AAG) and our team members to create new public artwork. The work should engage with Yeovil’s communities and be located in or focused on the town centre. This commission forms part of OUR TOWN, a year-long creative placemaking project supported by Somerset Council and Yeovil Town Council, funded by Arts Council England, aiming to shape the future cultural landscape of Yeovil Town Centre.

We are seeking Expressions of Interest from creative practitioners/artists (individuals or groups) who wish to work with us to take an action-research and co-creation approach to create new artwork in collaboration with the Art Action Group and Yeovil Art Space team.

The commissioned practitioner(s) will be responsible for developing ideas, methodologies, and approaches that engage with Yeovil’s community and lead to a tangible outcome. We expect the commissioned practitioners(s) to spend time engaging with Yeovil’s community or a specific community group in Yeovil. We will encourage the commission to utilise the development opportunities that link with the town centre regeneration, and the established connection with community and existing resources from Yeovil Art Space. This outcome can take various forms, in different public spaces, such as empty shops and community spaces, including but not limited to:

• A material artwork (e.g., installation, sculpture, or mural)
• An immersive experience (e.g., projection mapping, sound-based work, music based project, digital intervention)
• A participatory event (e.g., performance, procession, or interactive experience)

We are eager to work with practitioners(s) who take an action-research approach to this commission and hope the resulting artwork will inform a future larger public realm art project, with findings contributing to future funding applications and the long-term artistic strategy for Yeovil Town Centre. The commissioned practitioner(s) will be expected to take part in an evaluation process and work with the Art Action Group on measurable outcomes.

Commission budget: £10,000 (including artist fee and production budget)
Submission Details: Please download the full brief HERE.
Submission Deadline: Friday 23rd May, 5pm