Artist opportunity

Project Summary

Hartlepool Borough Council, supported by the Coastal Communities Fund is now issuing a call to artists for sculpture proposals from which to select and commission one unique piece of work. This is a first step towards commissioning a sculpture for one planned new sculpture plinth located at Seaton Carew. This iconic new cultural trail mirrors the route taken by Ridley Scott’s first film ‘Boy and Bicycle’ and will link Church Street Innovation Quarter with Seaton.

The aim of the Hartlepool coastal plinth project is to bring a new and exciting sculpture to Hartlepool and create cultural landmarks that will attract and engage the local community and tourists.

Artists are invited to submit proposals which respond to the current and/or historical context of this iconic town and seafront promenade site. Particular attention should be focused on Hartlepool’s maritime history and development.

Aims

The artwork proposed should:

  • Be site-specific and help to reinforce a sense of place and identity; and,
  • Reflect the vision of the project, which is to attract and engage the local community and visitors in present-day sculpture provide an artistic focal point and to make a significant contribution to Hartlepool’s cultural scene.

Themes and Anecdotes

The site offers a wide range of contemporary and historic associations, which could inspire sculptures for the plinth.

Here are some:

  • Sea
  • Promenade
  • Ship building- Sir William Gray
  • Hartlepool’s maritime and industrial past
  • Hartlepool’s culturally rich future

Process and Timetable

There are two phases to this call. There is a short-listing process including influence from a 2 week public consultation via the Council’s website, followed by a final selection process, where one work will be selected to become the sculpture for the plinth. The final selected artist will receive a fee of up to £20,000 to produce their proposed sculpture subject to the Stage 2 of CCF funding bid being successful.  The CCF award is expected to be known by March 2017 and all payments to artists depend on a successful application for the funding.

*Confirmed commissions for the full-scale sculptures will depend and follow when full funding has been secured.

  • Deadline for submissions – 5 January 2017 12 noon
  • Selection of short-list completed – Friday 6 January
  • Public consultation – 9-20 January
  • Selection panel for design decision – 6- 10 February 2017
  • Appointment of final selected artists - w/c 13 February 2017
  • Sculpture delivery – October 2017
  • Marquette & preparatory sketches delivered -  October 2017

To apply for this commission we require artists to submit proposals via the ProContract Portal (https://procontract.due-north.com/Login), as follows:

  • A brief proposal: No more than two sides of A4 (pdf or Word file) - describing your idea for the final sculpture, how it meets the aims of the brief, the technical requirements and an outline of the total projected costs of the final sculpture (including any VAT). As outlined in the brief, this proposal needs to include details of the materials to be used and how they are suitable. Artists may submit more than one proposal and only emailed applications will be accepted.
  • Visual representations of the proposed work: Three to five jpg images (maximum of 3MB and minimum of 1MB each). These should include how the sculpture would appear from different angles. These may include scanned drawings and/or photos. If possible, these would be shown as mock-up displays on the plinth.
  • Artist's CV: No more than two sides of A4 (pdf or Word file) - including evidence of your professional standing and details of previous relevant work, including commissioned work.

Budget 

There is a total budget of £30,000 for the project and this is broken down in to two elements:

There is a commission of £10,000 for the selected artists. This will need to cover all costs (including design and production fees, out-of-pocket expenses, and any VAT).

Our business plan allows for  £20,000  for the production of the sculpture this budget would include artists' fees, materials, casting and/or construction expenses, transport, installation and any VAT.

In your initial submission we need an estimate of your projected cost for the full-scale sculpture, including installation.

All payments are subject to the project receiving a successful awarding from the Coastal Community Fund by the end of March 2017 Payments to be made in 2017/18.

The final selected artist will be informed w/c 9th February 2017 and commissioned to produce from April 2017 subject to the CCF funding award having been confirmed.

Practical information

To submit your response to this proposal you must return all relevant documentation through the ProContract Portal. This system is used to gather quotations/tender documentation submitted by Suppliers which in turn will be evaluated by Hartlepool Borough Council.

To register as a supplier on the ProContract portal (https://procontract.due-north.com/Login). Please follow the guidance Notes attached or view the Help section at https://supplierhelp.due-north.com/. If you are registering on the portal for this opportunity then please register your details against the following category 82151504 Sculptors Services.

To search for this opportunity on the ProContract portal please search for  ‘Hartlepool Coastal Plinths Sculpture Programme: Call to Artists for Proposal’  or ‘Project Id: DN218352’.

All responses including your proposal, images and CV must be returned via the ProContract portal by no later than 12 noon on Thursday 5 January 2017. Again guidance on how to submit your response can be found at the Help section at https://supplierhelp.due-north.com/ or Telephone the helpdesk on 0191 261 3940.

Please label documents as follows:

Surname First name Proposal

Surname First name CV

Surname First name Image no 1, 2, 3.

The Portal will acknowledge receipt of your submission.

If you have any questions regarding this brief please email david.worthington@hartlepool.gov.uk or post them through the portal.

Useful documents 

Hartlepool Plinths Sculpture Programme

NEPO Portal Global Registration