Essex County Council Extraordinary Essex Art Commission

July 16, 2024

Extraordinary Essex

Essex is an extraordinary county for many reasons. It is a place to be forward looking and enterprising. It is a place of opportunity and a place for personal growth. Essex people are the essence and lifeblood of the county. They are authentic, confident and brimming with positive energy.

Over the next 12 months we’ll be celebrating Extraordinary Essex as told through the eyes of our residents, businesses and employees. We’re proud to serve the people and communities that live, work and study here.

Throughout 2024/25 we will be championing our extraordinary county and we are starting by announcing a special arts and cultural commission.

We are a diverse county, made up of over 1.5m residents living and working across a diverse landscape, from historical towns and cities to rural landscapes and the longest coastline in the UK.

We understand how important creative expression is to residents in representing who and what makes Essex, that’s why we are inviting artists, organisations, groups, and individuals to apply for a special art commission which conveys Extraordinary Essex. To find out more, please visit here: https://www.essex.gov.uk/people-make-us

Extraordinary Essex Artist Commission:

We are inviting submissions for a special arts commission which will provide the opportunity for artists, cultural practitioners, and residents to create a creative or cultural work which sums up why they think, or feel Essex to be an extraordinary place.

The project must be delivered before 31 March 2025 and must take place within the county council authority area of Essex. Artists, groups or organisations based outside of the authority boundaries are free to make a submission as long as the proposed work, or project is delivered within administrative Essex which excludes the unitary authority areas of Southend and Thurrock. You can view the authority area here.

Apply for the Extraordinary Essex commission here.

Please read-through the Extraordinary Essex commission guidance notes before submitting your application.

Commission Priorities and Outcomes:

As part of this commission, we are looking for an approach which:

Celebrates the county of Essex via contemporary art, cultural or creative experience, supports pride in place and advocacy for the county.

Engages residents on issues which are topical and relevant to the county such as Children and families, health and wellbeing, economy and environment.

Is socially engaged and seeks to engage new audiences, particularly from diverse and underrepresented backgrounds and communities.

Has strong engagement elements embedded into the proposal.

Reflects the aims outlined in Essex County Council’s ‘Everyone’s Essex’ strategy

Considers the legacy of the project, including the lifespan of any physical works created, and continued means for engagement post-project and considers how the project will be evaluated.

Whilst the quality of the artistic or creative product is important, the commission wishes to focus more on community engagement and co-creation, as opposed to creating work in isolation without collaboration with Essex residents. Any proposal should therefore strongly consider the outreach element and ensure it is meaningfully embedded and articulated in the proposal. In recognition of this element your proposal should also include how you will document progress of your commission, should you be successful e.g. video diaries, time lapse camera, photographic timeline

Budget: £15,000 inclusive of all VAT, materials, and expenses.

Timeline (subject to change):

Applications open at 5.00pm on Friday 19 July 2024.

Submissions must be received by the deadline of 11.59pm on 16 August 2024.

Shortlisted applicants will be advised of outcomes by w/c 9^th September with a view to supported projects being delivered from 16^th September onwards.