Artist Opportunity
We are offering an opportunity for freelance artists, collectives, or organisations to create new biodegradable art works for a community event on the 6th April at The Vale and Mossley Heritage Centre. This is a paid opportunity with a commission fee of £5,000 available.
The event is a celebration day to promote walking to The Vale through our new ‘Trails to The Vale’ initiative.
The aim is to highlight active travel to The Vale as well as celebrate our local and global heritage by using the existing Heritage Centre trails. The trail which passes Micklehurst Road, ‘A Goose’s Gander’ A Goose’s Gander | Mossley Heritage, is the least utilised and engaged with; and part of this is due to the barrier for some of walking up the steep hill.
6th April, 2024
The plan for the 6th is a celebration day at both the Heritage Centre and The Vale where people will walk between the mills, enjoying interacting with the pieces between/near each signpost of the trail. There will also be a wider day of activities around Spring, crafting, and Carnival for all ages to get involved in.
There are seven signs as part of the trail. The Mossley Heritage centre has highlighted aspects of each stop which may inspire the new works.
In addition to animating the trail, we would like works to also be displayed at the two venues, perhaps relating to either of the two mills or the people who worked in them.
The Artwork
The pieces should be lightweight and able to be held by performers or volunteers, or freestanding to be placed somewhere on the trail for the day, and able to be secured in place temporarily.
We’re also keen that the public are engaged in some aspect of the making process. We would like to specifically promote some workshops or volunteering opportunities towards those affected by long term illness as a gentle way to get active by creating art, not just as ‘exercise’.
Use of The Vale’s Studio 2 for 3-4 weeks is provided for the project and Studio 1 (subject to availability). Studio 2 is ideal for making, with workbenches, space and additional equipment available.
The pieces would need to be finished in advance of the 6th April.
Project requirements:
Materials: Biodegradable, environmentally friendly. Including found objects, reused/upcycled.
This project should have as minimal impact on the environment as possible, so reusing items in our stock already and using items sourced locally is encouraged.
Thought given to the lifecycle of the pieces after the event would be a benefit.
Focus: The creations should be focused on the trail and Mossley’s heritage as well as any global connections that heritage brought. More detail shared by the Heritage Centre at the bottom of this email below. You may wish to traverse the trail and visit the Heritage Centre or The Vale in advance of applying.
Process: This can be taken on by one person or as a group if you would like to collaborate on the work or share different aspects of it.
Size and scale is up to you, bearing in mind the positioning and the fact they may be held by volunteers.
Artist fee: £5,000
This fee is inclusive of materials, community engagement and planning time and to engage in a short evaluation of the project.
How to apply:
Send expressions of interest to [email protected] by Sunday 11th February.
Please include:
- a description of how you would fulfil the brief.
- any sketch design/drawings
- which materials you would choose and why.
- community engagement ideas
We’d be particularly interested to hear from Tameside based artists.
A small team will review the applications and aim to get back to you by Friday 16th February.
Information on features of the Trail from Mossley Heritage Centre
Stop 1 – Marle House
Gates of the house
Lant jar
Queen’s petticoats
Proctor’s robe and wig
Stop 2 – Shepherd’s Home
Shepherd’s robes, crooks, banners, logo(?)/coat of arms
Abney Chapel used to do pantomimes
Doctor’s stethoscope.
Stop 3 – Estate
In door toilets
Mossley Woolcombing (Eiffel tower and Cockerel were given as gifts by Mossley
Woolcombing to the Heritage Centre)
Sport symbols
Gardens, vegetables, fruit etc
Stop 4 – Church
Mayoral Chain
Time capsule
Stop 5 – Station
Train
Viaduct
Bridle path – horses, cyclists, walkers
Stop 6 – Bottom’s Fold
Stepping stones
Geese
‘Red Herring Bridge’
Stop 7 – Shopping
Waggon (Road)
Wool
Bakery goods
Ironworks
Fish and chips
Milk churn
Tram drivers clock at bottom of steps
General Ideas
The Cotton Queens and their entourages
Floats for Mossley Carnival by the different mills
Elephant