I’m an artist but none of these open calls are relevant to my practice. Can I propose a different project?

We’re really keen for people to think creatively about how these open calls can be interpreted, and we’d love to hear from artists from a wide range of backgrounds and disciplines. That said, there are specific briefs that we’d like people to respond to, and part of the selection process will be an assessment of how well a proposal responds to the themes and aims of the commission.

We’re not currently accepting applications for projects outside the scope of these three open calls. We will, however, be announcing at least one more open call for a public art commission next year, so if you don’t feel that these projects are quite right for you, please keep an eye on the Theatr Clywd website for future opportunities.

What language can I submit my application in?

You’re welcome to submit an application in either English or Welsh.

I’m based overseas. Can I apply?

Anybody who has the right to work in the UK is able to apply. That’s to say: we welcome applications from international artists, so long as applicants have obtained – or are able to obtain – relevant permissions to work in the UK. We have a small budget to contribute towards artists’ travel costs during the project, and this can include international travel. Please bear in mind though that one of the themes for this project is sustainability, in line with the theatre’s broader target of being a net zero carbon venue, so proposals that would require extensive air travel would need to clarify how the impact of this could be mitigated.

Why do I need to submit a CV and references?

A CV and references help us get a sense of your professional work, your interests and your ability to turn an idea into a finished outcome. But please be assured that we welcome applications from people at all stages of their career; we’d love to hear from early career artists as well as more established practitioners. If you have any questions about this part of the application, please just drop us a note and we’d be happy to chat.

Do I need to submit a detailed project proposal in the initial application?

No. For the first stage of the application process we’re simply looking for expressions of interest. Within your expression of interest letter you can motivate why you’d be a suitable candidate for the project based on your skillset, experience and or the methods/processes you use, but no specific project idea is required at this stage.

If you make the shortlist, you will be invited to prepare a concept design for your proposal, and will receive a fee of £750 for this work.

How will you decide which projects to choose?

You can find detailed information about the selection process and assessment criteria in the open call documents, which are available to download (in both English and Welsh) on this webpage.

The short(er) answer is that once the deadline has closed, a shortlist will be chosen by a Public Art Steering Committee, which is made up of representatives from Theatr Clywd, studio three sixty and our architects Haworth Tomkins, as well as artists, writers, community representatives and other independent arts representatives. The committee will take into consideration how well an application has responded to the brief, the feasibility of the proposal, and the quality & relevance of an applicant’s previous work.

Do you accept applications from groups as well as individuals?

Yes! In fact we encourage it. We’d love to see applications from teams working across and between disciplines, and we’re especially interested in project ideas that bring together practitioners from a range of different backgrounds and perspectives.

We’re thinking of applying as a group. Can we submit a joint CV, portfolio, references (etc) or do we need to submit separate documents for each individual member of the team?

If you’ve worked together before then please submit joint documents and references for your work as a group. If you haven’t worked together previously then you can still submit joint documents but it would be helpful to provide a little bit of information about each member of the team and how you envisage the collaboration would work. This can be contained within your expression of interest letter.

If we apply as a group does the project need to have a “lead” artist?

The project does not need to have a lead in an artistic sense, but it would be helpful if you could identify a main contact person, purely for administrative purposes.

Can I apply for more than one open call?

Yes, you’re welcome to submit an application to more than one of the open calls. However we can only accept one application per person per open call.

Does it cost anything to submit an application?

No, it’s completely free.

Who’s funding this?

The project is funded through the Welsh Arts Council ‘Percentage of Art’ legislation, as part of the wider regeneration plans for Theatr Clwyd.