New! Wandsworth Arts Fringe commissions: Going Places

17th November 2022

Bureau of Silly Ideas Pineapple Car at WAF2017

Over June 2023, Wandsworth Council will bring performances to high streets, parks and other public spaces as part of Wandsworth Arts Fringe (WAF). We want to bring people and places together to help people feel pride and celebrate our much-loved shared spaces. Through a series of three separate commissions, we will bring together a programme of high-quality public performances, events and interventions which celebrate our communities and places. Successful organisations will work directly with existing, active community networks, organisations and individuals.

Applicants will consider how to engage with local communities in meaningful ways and work directly with them to encourage participation in their events. Applicants will be experienced in creating cultural projects which respond to local people and their stories and have experience of successful community engagement. Applicants should have worked on performance projects before and be able to coordinate and manage the delivery of multiple projects dispersed across the borough. Priority will be given to proposals from Wandsworth-based applicants.

The commissions available will respond to ONE of the following environments:

  • High Streets
  • Housing Estates
  • Green Spaces
  • Libraries

Applicants can apply for up to £10,000 focussing on one the above contexts.

Projects can be new or existing works that have both a performance and community engagement element. The commission can be used to redevelop existing work to fit within the Wandsworth environment. The commission must be flexible to respond to and engage Wandsworth communities and respond to local need.

The project must take place in a minimum of three or more wards across the borough. (Please see Wandsworth's Ward Map.)

The aim of the commission is to celebrate community and places, which complements our Arts and Culture Strategy 2021-31. Successful applicants will respond the following key goal:

  • Communities and Partnerships: Supporting residents to develop their own cultural resources to meet specific needs, support stronger neighbourhoods and enhance community cohesion.

AND at least one other priority area:

  • Place-shaping: Ensuring arts and culture is integrally linked to the development of different parts of the borough. We want to contribute to the improvement of the borough’s neighbourhoods, high streets, and regeneration areas by ensuring that art and culture are accessible to all, grow with the ambition of the borough and reflect the needs and opportunities of the residents and supporting creative clusters.
  • Economic Growth: Recognising that the growth of Borough’s cultural ecology (both as part of the day and night-time economies) is an important contributor to the livelihoods of many residents as well as the economic development of the Borough as a centre of innovation, creative employment and the arts at all levels, from the global to the hyper local.
  • Learning and Education: Embedding cultural engagement opportunities in the lives of young people growing up in the Borough from early years, at school and in further and higher education; supporting young people to access creative outlets to develop their talents and create pathways to paid employment in the cultural and creative industry sector that reflect the diverse make-up of the Borough.
  • Health and Wellbeing: To support residents to start well, live well and age well, using culture as means to improve health and wellbeing, as well as promoting lifelong learning.
  • Access for All: ensuring access to culture is available to all parts of the community, actively addressing identified needs to improve access, and that extra support is given to the work of improving inclusion and diversity.
  • Climate Emergency and Sustainability: Identifying how the arts and culture community can contribute to tackling climate change at a strategic and operational level, in line with the Wandsworth Environment and Sustainability Strategy.

 

Scope of brief:

Fees: applying artists should provide full project costs to include artist time, expenses, production and delivery for up to £10,000.

Project Management: Project Management will be led by the successful organisation, with partnership and brokerage support from Wandsworth Council’s Arts & Culture Service.

Insurances: Relevant insurances will be covered by the awarded organisation

Timescale:

  • Call out opens: 17 November 2022
  • Deadline for applications: 15 December 2022
  • Decisions: Late January 2023
  • Commission: Early February 2023
  • Copy for WAF: Early February 2023
  • Local partnership development and community engagement: Feb – May 2023
  • Delivery: 9 – 25 June 2023
  • Completion and evaluation: End of July 2023

 

Selection:

Following an open call, a selection of applicants will be invited to attend an interview to present a selection of their previous work, their response to the commission brief and describe how they will see the through to delivery.

We are especially interested to hear from local, Wandsworth based organisations with a strong and demonstrable track record for delivering community outreach and performance projects. We particularly welcome expressions of interest from artists who reflect the diverse of communities in Wandsworth.

How to apply:

Applicants should complete application form below and return it to Lucy Murray, Arts & Culture Programme and Partnerships Manager (lucy.murray@richmondandwandsworth.gov.uk) by Thursday 15 December 2022.

Applicants should complete all sections of the form including budget section.

Applicants may submit a separate Project Budget for clarity purposes.

Please use email subject line: WAF Commissions - Going Places application

Download the application form (word)

Download the application form (pdf)

Contact:

Most questions should be covered by this brief. Clarification questions can be sent to Lucy Murray, Arts & Culture Programme and Partnerships Manager: lucy.murray@richmondandwandsworth.gov.uk