OPEN CALL – UK ARTISTS FOR COMMISSION
RHS GLOW at RHS BRIDGEWATER and LIGHTWAVES, SALFORD QUAYS
DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS: 8:00am 12th May 2025
£10,000 commission for a light artwork to show at two light festivals in one city – Salford, UK.
Show dates:
Lightwaves: Thursday 4 – Sunday 7 December 2025 [present artwork for the entirety of the festival]
Glow: Tuesday 25th November – Tuesday 30th December 25 (plus back up date of Fridau 2nd January) [Presentation dates to be agreed].
Lightwaves Salford, presented by Quays Culture
Lightwaves Salford is an annual interactive light festival presented at Salford Quays, home to MediaCity. Each December, the event attracts in excess of 150,000 visitors to explore a trail of illuminated installations that animate and transform the outdoor surroundings. With an exceptional track record in bold new commissions, the festival is proud to support international artists alongside local and emerging talent and has a growing focus on enrichment activity with local communities at its heart.
The festival is part of the Quays Culture Programme, a partnership Initiative with a mission to animate public spaces, bringing extraordinary art into the heart of the community for everyone to experience free of charge.
RHS Glow at RHS Bridgewater, Salford
The enchanted garden. At night, the garden becomes a world of magical winter wonders.
Step into an enchanted world. As night falls, the garden transforms into a botanical spectacle. A magical place that immerses us and takes us on a journey of exploration. In this garden, nothing is what it seems. Plants and landscapes come to life to reveal hidden wonders. The enchanted garden touches all our senses. It delights, amazes and surprises, and evokes a joyful festive feeling.
RHS Glow is an unmissable after dark spectacle of lights that takes place across all 5 RHS gardens over the festive period. RHS Glow at RHS Bridgewater is now returning in 2025 for its fith year. The trail runs for 6 weeks starting in mid-November and ending at the end of December and is a meticulously designed light trail designed to enchant visitors and enhance the natural beauty of the garden.
The Commission:
- CONNECT – We are looking for artwork ideas that will create a point of connection between the two festivals, feeling equally at home in both.
- SETTING – Consider how the artwork can be successful in the two festivals settings – one in the built environment and the other nature rich, representing Salford’s diversity of places.
- LIGHT – The call out is open to artists working in all mediums but must include light as part of the work and be suitable to present outdoors in winter.
The successful commission will also need to:
- Consider both environmental impact and sustainability of the artwork during its production, display and afterlife.
- Look to Understand both the communities at RHS Bridgewater and Salford Quays to reflect their climate concerns and engage the community in positive climate conservations and actions.
- Be suitable to presented outdoors in winter. Work must be wind safe to 50mph and be IP65 compliant.
- We would need a full set of RAMS for install, presentation and derig
We particularly welcome applications from Greater Manchester Artists.
We are committed to encouraging diversity and intersectionality in the arts and we actively encourage proposals from artists from under-represented communities, including people who experience racism, identify as working class, have disabilities, are from the LGBTQ+ community, are care experienced or are discriminated against.
We encourage you to apply for this opportunity no matter what your age, caring responsibilities, disability, gender, gender identity, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief and sexual orientation.
The budget
£10,000 including materials, fee and travel expenses.
How to apply
Please submit:
- Detailed proposal document: project aims, Artistic ideas, images/links out to previous works, consideration of theme and point above and audiences)
- Detailed demonstration of Budget and finical breakdown of the proposal: possible costs, artist fee, production support, materials, transport, technical needs etc. (template budget available on request)
- Overview of project management
- Provide a Relevant CV
- Please provide links out to website, relevant social media or other online portfolios
- Please provide your access rider upon application to support you through the GLOW process.
Please send your proposal and required documents to: hello@quaysculture.com no later than 8:00am 12 May 2025
This information pack is available in: Large print and Plain text
Glow is committed to broadening the diversity of those working in the medium of light art and encourages applications from people who are currently under- represented in the sector, including people of colour and people who identify as d/Deaf, disabled or neurodivergent.
Getting help to apply:
We are very happy to answer any questions. Please get in touch if you would like additional support with making your application.
Contact us at: (Mon – Fri, 10:00 -18:00) / ryan@quaysculture.com
Dates
- Closing Date: 8:00am 12 May 25
- Shortlisting: 13th –16th May 25
- Shortlisted artist contacted: 17th May
- Interview dates: Tuesday 20th May (please keep this date available until you have been notified of the status of your application.)
- We will notify you by Friday 23rd May at 5pm on for successful and unsuccessful applications
Presentations
Lightwaves Salford: Thursday 4 – Sunday 7 December 2025
RHS Glow Tuesday 25th November – Tuesday 30th December 25 (back up date Friday 2nd January) [Presentation dates to be agreed].
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
By submitting your proposal you agree:
- That you are an artist with the right to work in the UK.
- Your artwork will be ready for exhibition at our 2025 festivals.
- Your work is deliverable within the timescale of the programme and will be delivered on budget.
- To attend an initial induction, production meetings and site visits where reasonably required.
- You must have relevant Public Liability Insurance for your activity, to a minimum £10 million cover.
- To supply, in advance, copy and images for marketing purposes as and when required.
- To provide evaluation feedback on completion of the commissioning fund, in line with the framework provided
