Local artists are being sought for two exciting public art projects at Brighton’s newest neighbourhood, Edward Street Quarter.
The development, which will provide offices, homes, cafes, restaurants and leisure facilities on the site of the old Amex building, has designated two areas for the artworks on Mighell Street, a historic road from Brighton’s past which joins Edward Street and Carlton Hill.
The first is a floor-level piece located in a central open space. The second is a sculptural gateway, envisaged as a ‘goalpost archway’ at the Edward Street and Mighell Street entrance.
Once an area in which the Brighton fishing community lived, the narrative theme for the commission will be ‘fisher-folk’ – a thread which is already being developed for a mural on the west-facing facade wall by Edward Street, following a previous tender won by local artist Cosmo Sarson.
Local designer Richard Wolfestrome has been contracted by the Edward Street Quarter team to consult on all public artwork projects for the development and is leading the tender process.
Steve Eccles, Project Director at First Base, developer for Edward Street Quarter, said: “This is a wonderful chance for local artists to collaborate with us to make Edward Street Quarter a place for the community to live, work and enjoy.
“The artworks will help connect the site with its past and embrace the local character and identity, whilst also creating an exciting modern destination for the city. So, a strong understanding of the area and its heritage is an advantage.”
At this stage artists are not expected to deliver final designs. Instead, the tender requests indicative ideas based on the brief, a rationale of how the artist would approach the project, how they would engage with the community and a portfolio of previous work and experience.
Artists can express their interest as an individual or team up with another artist for submissions, which will be judged by a steering panel. A shortlist of three for each project will be announced and artists required to develop their ideas further for presentation before a winner is announced.
Further details of the brief, including budget and timetable for the project, can be found at: https://cultureinourcity.com/support/opportunities/.
Expressions of interest should be emailed, by 8 January 2021, to Richard Wolfströme at howl@wolfi.co.uk.
For more information on the Edward Street Quarter development, please visit edwardstreetquarter.com
