Short Description

Eastleigh Borough Council is inviting submissions from Artists or an Artist Collective to develop and deliver a Public Art commission at sites across the villages of Bishopstoke, Fair Oak and Horton Heath (BIFOHH).
The Council welcomes proposals from across the creative disciplines including interdisciplinary approaches between Artists and collaborators of their choosing.
The Commission is funded from Section 106 Developer’s Contributions for Public Art, to be used for public art within BIFOHH.

The Tree and Bee Network aims to connect existing areas of woodland and the biodiversity they contain by creating a patchwork of living ‘stepping stones’ through the landscape. This patchwork allows the movement, predominantly of insects, birds and mammals, between favourable areas of habitat by providing ‘service stations’ for food and shelter along the way. The planting sites comprise road side verges, open spaces within residential areas, parks and cemeteries and green spaces in proposed development sites. The ‘stepping stones’ take different forms, varying from a stacked planter in a shopping area, trees growing along a roadside with an understory of wildflowers, to edible tree gardens or tree gardens within residential areas.
This public art project aims to commission sculptures at the planting sites, which provide new habitats for a variety of species, including insects and birds. Co-creation with the community is essential for creating a sense of local ownership and ensuring long-term stewardship and maintenance.

Eligibility

EBC will only contract a professional Artist or Artist Collective for this commission.
The Appointed Artist will therefore be expected to:

  • have a demonstrable track record of delivering Public Art projects
  • have valid Public Liability Insurance of not less than £2,000,000.00
  • prepare risk assessments, method statements and any other health and safety documentation as required for the project
  • manage Agreements with and payments to any collaborators/sub-contractors
  • manage their own National Insurance contributions and income tax, and supply details such as UTR and NI number or company number and VAT number (if registered) when requested. Sole Traders will be required to complete a Freelance Declaration Form.
  • The Appointed Artist can be any nationality but must have the legal right to work in the UK.

Submission Requirements

  • Your name/ the name of your company or collective
  • Contact details including email, phone number and current address
  • Links to your website, any online video content about previous Public Art projects (max. three) and any professional social media accounts
  • A short statement (approx. one side of A4) outlining your proposed approach to this project and how it relates to your broader practice and previous work
  • Your CV
  • Up to four images relevant to your proposal or previous work (not essential)

How to Apply

Please submit an Expression of Interest (see 5d for what to include) by email to Vickie Fear, EBC Public Art Officer: vickie.fear@eastleigh.gov.uk

Program Benefits & Awards

  • An initial budget of £500 will be offered to max. five shortlisted Artists to develop a Commission proposal for consideration by the Steering Group.
  • A total Public Art Commission budget of £33,000 is available and must cover all Artist and collaborator/subcontractors’ fees; expenses including travel for meetings/site visits; and all production costs including materials, fabrication, installation and transport.
  • A separate communications budget of £500 is also available to support this project. This budget will be managed by the Project Manager in discussion with the Appointed Artist.
  • A further budget of £5000 will be retained by EBC for future maintenance and decommissioning of the artwork.
  • A separate contingency of £5000 has been ringfenced by EBC for this project and will be managed by the Project Manager.
  • Due to the restricted timescale for this project it is not anticipated that any further fundraising will take place to increase the project budget.

Entry Fee

None

Location

United Kingdom

Timeline

  • Application Deadline: 27 October 2025

Website Link: https://www.eastleigh.gov.uk/parks-leisure-and-culture/arts-and-culture/public-art/habitat-sculptures

Artist FeeGrantProduction budget