Cambridge City Council - Public Art 'Play is Everywhere' Expression of Interest

Cambridge City Council is working in partnership with Cambridge Junction to offer a commission/s to an artist or artist partnership, to deliver a work/s of public art that explores the theme of playfulness within the streets and open spaces of an area in Central Cambridge. This commission is funded by public art S106 contributions, which are used to mitigate the impact of development.

The intention of the commission is to change people's sense of place and ways of seeing the world around them, to look up, actively listen and see their neighbourhood anew, foster new ways to engage with the built and natural environment and facilitate intergenerational play opportunities and promote physical activity for families; play is anywhere. The project aims to animate routes and spaces. The Covid-19 pandemic has increased community need for and use of open space whether it is formal open space or incidental spaces on a journey.

The Council seeks an artist/s, curator or producer to develop a proposal for an original, high quality, accessible public artwork(s), which would provide opportunities for interaction/ activity. The project has 2 elements and applicants can express an interest in either element or both. The total maximum budget for both elements of the project is £90,000. The budget for the first element is £75,000 with the second element being £15,000.

The Council recognises that contemporary public art can be realised in many different and varied forms. The brief is open to interpretation by the artist/s however, all interpretations must demonstrate playfulness and be safe.