Mural Artist

The opportunity

Crewe Town Council are seeking to work with an artist or collective to research, develop and produce a mural that celebrates Crewe’s industrial histories and heritage of making while not only exploring the dominant railway engineering town narrative. A site has been located for this mural, the side of the town council offices. This mural will form part of a wider Crewe Arts Trail and is in addition to UKSPF funded commissions that are currently being developed that will also form the trail. Community engagement will be central to the project and it is essential that the artwork is readily accessible by local communities. The mural will be visible from the new Southern Gateway Pedestrian and Cycleway Connectivity Scheme marking one of the key entry points to the town centre. This is a great opportunity to tell Crewe's unique story through public art in an imaginative yet accessible way.

Recruitment for this opportunity is being managed by Counterculture Partnership LLP who will also be project managing this installation on behalf of Crewe Town Council.

Background

The project has been designed to nurture, support and facilitate participation in high-quality creative activities that will culminate in artistic outcomes that showcase the creativity and unique heritage of Crewe. The project will culminate in an Arts Trail launching 14- 17 February 2025 made up of permanent and temporary pieces of work, which will be displayed in accessible locations throughout the town for residents and visitors alike to enjoy. The launch weekend will involve a range of events and public engagement activity to celebrate the project and engage a wide audience in the trail’s theme, Making Crewe.

Theme

The commission should be developed in response to the trail’s theme, ‘Making Crewe’ which was chosen in consultation with priority audiences of young people aged 12-24, local communities and creatives. The theme has been chosen to create cohesion and respond to the town’s rich heritage and specific context and we are looking for this commission to focus in on Crewe’s industrial history and heritage:

Making Crewe  

Making Crewe is a community-centred arts trail, development project and call to action. Making and ingenuity are part of Crewe’s DNA. They have flourished throughout the town’s rich industrial heritage—from Crewe Works and railway engineering, the Pimms Lane factory where Rolls Royce cars were produced and Bentley still operate through to lesser-known crafts and industries such as soap making, a brick works, iron foundry, leather works, textiles factories, Whitby Morris Ice Cream Vans and even prosthetic limbs. Crewe’s community is enriched by the diverse and dynamic people who live and work here, whatever their background. The theme Making Crewe has been chosen to pay tribute to the town’s history of making and the prominent historical figures who have made Crewe whilst, above all, celebrating the communities who make Crewe today. Making Crewe asks, how can we utilise the town’s unique heritage and histories of making as a springboard to inspire, connect and empower communities today? Making is an action. A tool for personal and collective agency—from voicing opinions through creative means, to enhancing wellbeing through participation and addressing social issues through art and design. This project will create opportunities for artists and makers of all ages and abilities to participate, build skills, connect with other creatives and be part of Crewe’s rich creative ecology. Making Crewe draws on the town’s rich history of making but is focused on how together, we can make the Crewe of the future by platforming, celebrating and creating with communities today.

Responsibilities

A total fee of £12,000 for all design, engagement and production is available and must cover the following. We anticipate that this might involve a split of 40% on artist fees to cover design, planning and public engagement workshops with the remaining 60% for materials, equipment and installation costs:

• Attendance at minimum of 5 project meetings

• Close collaboration and communication with the project team and the Town Council

• Research and development of artwork

• Artwork design including amendments following feedback with the project team and as required by key stakeholders

• Implementation & installation of final work

• All materials, equipment and production costs including any required preparation, remedial work for the wall if required and any snagging

• Travel costs and subsistence

• Licence to use a scissor lift

• Delivery of 5 x community engagement activities to include creative workshops or artist talks including an evening event for the local creative community and public engagement activity for the launch of the trail and mural design in February 2025. To be agreed with the project lead

• Artist’s own insurance including PLI *Please note that the artist is responsible for paying their own tax  

The mural will be on the side of Crewe Town Council’s Building—along the route of the new Southern Gateway, the Town Council sign will need to be removed as part of any required preparations. The artist must reflect the following restrictions/ limitations in the final design:

• The artwork should be bold and visually impactful, responding to Crewe’s rich industrial history, heritage and culture of making

• The artwork should be readily accessible and be visually recognisable as unique to Crewe

• Materials used must be of sufficient quantity and quality to create a lasting piece of work which will withhold varying weather conditions

• Depending on the technique and painting style of the artist, the wall may need rendering. Please advise whether this is the case in your proposal and outline timeline and budgetary considerations

• Consideration must be given to potential vandalism and all possible steps must be taken to limit the risk of vandalism to the final artwork, including a coat of anti-vandalism paint

• The artwork, and its installation must pass health and safety checks to ensure it will not cause damage to the general public

• The artwork will need to be signed off by various stakeholders including the landowner, Town Council and Town Councillors

• Be feasible within the timeline and resource

KEY DATES & TIMELINE

• Closing date for applications: 9am, 14th November

• Artist Interviews: w/c 9th December

• Project initiation meeting: w/c 6 January 2025

• Final designs to be agreed by end of January 2024

• Public Launch of the design 14 February 2025

• Community engagement and participation during the launch weekend 14-16 February 2025

• Installation March 2025

APPLICATION PROCEDURE

Artists must submit the following Information via email to [email protected] by 9am, 14 November 2024. Interviews of shortlisted artists TBC

• A response to the brief, detailing how you would incorporate community engagement into the project, no more than 2 sides of A4

• Breakdown of available budget into artist fee, fabrication/installation costs, travel, materials etc.

• Up to Date CV including relevant qualifications and experience

• A portfolio of previous work related to your application (e.g. web link/ up to 4 pages of images)

• 2 references from previous mural art and/or public art projects Interviews will take place online. If you are invited to interview, we will liaise with you to arrange a time that suits and endeavor to accommodate any other work or caring responsibilities you may have. We will share interview questions in advance and confirm who will be interviewing you. If you have any queries or would like to discuss the brief in more detail, please contact [email protected]

For the full brief please visit Request for Quotation: Town Council Building Mural Commission - Crewe Town Council