Farnham Town Council has sent out a last call for proposals for a new art installation in Farnham. The project is a collaboration the Town Council, the University for the Creative Arts, Farnham Maltings and the Farnham Public Art Trust.
The commission is for a new permanent artwork to be located on the prominent Longbridge, a riverside pedestrianised route alongside the River Wey and close to the bustling town centre. Proposals could be for an individual art work or multiple works. The budget for the commission, including installation and all artist’s fees is £19,500.
“We are looking for ambitious proposals that create opportunities for people to connect with the environment around the work (or works) and potentially with other people too. We would like to hear from artists who enjoy collaborating with their clients as Farnham Town Council is looking forward to working closely with the successful artist,” says Councillor Cockburn, Lead Member of the Task Group.
Farnham was designated a World Craft Town in 2020 and is home to the prestigious University for the Creative Arts and Crafts Study Centre. As a town rich with cultural and historic heritage and an active creative community of artists and craftspeople, the Town Council and its partners hope to attract several high-quality proposals.
Councillor John Neale, Leader of Farnham Town Council says: “There is a broad range of themes that could be called upon to inspire a starting point for proposals such as the nearby River Wey or the town’s craft heritage. Previous public art commissions in Farnham have focused heavily on literal representations of the craft context of the town, so for this commission we welcome proposals that consider more abstract and interactive reflections on material, craft and people.”
A detailed artists’ brief and additional information about the context of the commission is available on Farnham Town Council’s website. The brief provides full information about the specification for proposals and the timeline for the decision-making process. The deadline for submissions is 24 April 2022 with final interviews to be held on 10 June.
