The Show Windows: Green Futures Commissions

Creative Invitation:

Co-produced by Coventry City of Culture Trust and Coventry Business Improvement District
In partnership with Coventry River Cultural Consortium
Brief issued: 22nd February 2022
Deadline for proposals: Tuesday 22nd March 2022 at 5PM

CALL FOR PROPOSALS FROM WEST MIDLANDS BASED ARTISTS

Are you an artist, architect, designer or part of a group of creatives based in the West Midlands?

We are inviting you to submit proposals for The Show Windows, with applications encouraged from artists who identify as women, artists from the trans community and non-binary applicants.

The Show Windows is an ambitious series of unique shopfront commissions installed in Coventry City Centre, and we are asking you to apply for the final month of the programme around the theme of Green Futures.

There are up to 3 commissions available. Each commission will receive a fee of £2,000 with a production budget available to a maximum of £3,000.

Featuring as part of Coventry’s year as UK City of Culture, this is a significant opportunity to profile your work and practice.

Further information about THE SHOW WINDOWS
Our ambition is that The Show Windows project builds new partnerships with businesses and stakeholders from Coventry, promoting new ways of working. Commissions will be ambitious, iconic and impactful, putting the work of artists directly in the public eye to reach a broad range of new audiences.

The Show Windows is a high profile and highly visible part of the City of Culture programme. Changing public perceptions of the city and influencing public opinion on the value of artists’ work, the project is attracting audiences from the city as well as visitors from beyond. The programme is inclusive and engages a broad range of groups and audiences; we want to deliver a project that speaks across cultures and generations.

The Show Windows name is taken from Wizard of Oz author L Frank Baum’s book entitled The Art of Decorating Dry Goods Windows and Interiors, which was published the same year as the first famous Oz book, 1900. The link to Baum also encapsulates the idea that these windows are to be portals to other worlds, to inspire imagination, adventure and hope.

For further information on the Show Windows, and for information on the commissions already on show in Coventry, please visit www.coventry2021.co.uk/the-show-windows

Further information about the GREEN FUTURES commissions

The Green Futures theme sits across the final month of Coventry’s tenure as UK City of Culture,
closing the year-long programme with hopeful reflections upon environmental responsibility and
the collective effort needed on every front to effect change.

Applicants should ensure their proposed projects speak to this theme and align with ethical and sustainable production approaches, foregrounding innovative and creative sustainability solutions with future generations in mind.

Further information to support your application can be found online at www.coventry2021.co.uk/about/our-green-code

We ask that applicants consider Access requirements as a central concern. Disabled access provision is integral to the planning and delivery, removing or minimizing barriers to engagement for not just the public but all artists, creatives and teams involved.

In addition, applicants should consider the following key objectives in their proposals:
• The proposal should have a focus on collaborative practices and link to the idea of Green Futures with use of sustainable and recycled materials
• The Show Window installation / intervention should act as a portal to another world, it should inspire visitors to linger and look, and to want to find out more
• Commissions will present a new installation on / in a city centre shop or business window, to be allocated to successful applicants based on proposals for a generic shop window
• The work will need to be easy to install, lightweight, and freestanding to meet the requirements of the space allocated. Please note, you may have to alter your proposal to fit the window allocated
• Successful applicants will be an advocate for the project and positive spokesperson for The Show Windows, to include active social media posts and be available for interview, and to be open to engaging with your allocated shop / business stall
• If successful, you will be required to supply information about you and your work for sharing online, digitally and on the Smartify app. For example, a making of / behind the scenes blog with images / video, a recorded interview with one of the team, contextualisation / background to the idea, artist bio / links to other online content, as well as other social media / digital assets as and when requested

Commissions will receive a fee of £2000 per project, with a production budget to a maximum of £3,000 to include transport, materials, de-stall and any other costs outlined in your proposal.
Payment schedule: 100% of production budget in March/April 2022, 100% of total fee provided after installation.

The above brief and information forms the criteria upon which proposals will be assessed, with a selection panel made up of the following individuals and organisations:
• Charlie Levine, Independent Curator
• Craig Ashley, Coventry University
• Trish Willetts, Coventry BID
• Cara Pickering, Coventry City of Culture Trust
• Carol Pyrah, Historic Coventry Trust

Timetable
w/c 21 February 2022 Open Call launched
5pm 22 March 2022 Deadline for proposal submission
24th March 2022 Decision Panel
w/c 28th March 2022 Successful person / group intro to the team
w/c 4th April 2022 Announce selected proposals
April 2022 Develop ideas and make artworks ready for display. Deliver digital content (making of blog, etc). Have at least 2 mentoring sessions
w/c 1st May (Green Futures) Install windows

At least 6 weeks after installations: De-stall window (unless the window host extends this).

1 month + after installations: Completion of project after artwork collected from window location.

How to apply
By 5PM on Tuesday 22nd March we will need:
• Artwork – designs, sketches, etc., visualising your idea and how the installation might appear when realised (for sign off ahead of formal commission)
• A project description – outlining your idea and how it links to the theme of ‘Green Futures’ (max. 500 words)
• A basic plan – including a timeline, roles and responsibilities, the costs and breakdown of materials required
• A short biography – for yourself and each team member to include website links and social media
(max. 500 words each)
• A short sentence on your thoughts about Coventry City of Culture 2021, to be included in press &
communications
• An equal opportunities monitoring form can be found here

Please email your submissions to culture@coventrybid.co.uk by 5PM on 22 March 2022 with subject line “GREEN FUTURES commission”

For full details click here