Artists’ Brief for Public Art Project: Play Spaces(working title)
This new Per Cent for Art project presents an opportunity for artists to work as a team with children in a public art context. The project is focusing on children living in social housing and their use of outdoor public space for imaginative play. The aim of this project is to promote and facilitate participation by children in social housing, in the 8-12 age group, and their families, across the three wards of Sligo in a series of art workshops which explore the theme of play from the home outwards to the garden, street, community and park, culminating in a shared outcome presented to the public.
Main Project Aims
The project, Play Spaces, led by a team of artists,aims to encourage children to creatively explore and use outdoor space to play imaginatively in their immediate environment and beyond, in their neighbourhood parks (not designated play areas). It will encourage intergenerational family participation. The project aims to develop the children’s creative use of simple technology, readily accessible to them. The project aims to raise awareness of the benefits of using public space for play and to develop the children’s civic awareness by valuing their public amenities. The activities should be fully documented . The outcome of the project should be realised collaboratively with the children.
This project is Phase 1 of a two-phase commissioning round for the Borough area of Sligo. Phase 1 will take place in a six-week period beginning in late April and concluding in June 2011. Phase 2 will involve the commissioning of sculpture for three parks in Sligo. Phase 2 will begin in autumn 2011. A link to Phase 2 will be created through the programme in Phase 1. It is intended that the outcome and documentation of Phase 1 will inform the brief to artists in Phase 2.
Context and Rationale
“A public space is an incomplete space, one that is endlessly“completed” by the people who use it. It is a space that requiresconstant negotiation….” [1]
For many children, particularly children who have little experience oftrips or holidays further afield, their local environment is their mainexperience of the outside world. Public space links together the space outside the front door of a child’s home with the playground around the corner or their friend’s house across the road.
Children and young people need space away from their homes wherethey can establish a world for themselves independent of theirparents and explore the natural and built environment aroundthem. Access to good public space can help children to stay healthy
by providing opportunities for exercisein fresh air. Public space is important, as it is accessible to everyone in the community.
Studies have found that most play does not take place on sites formally designated as play spaces. Children often feel the need to make their mark and establish theirright to using public space – whether constructively or destructively. Public space can provide for adventurous and imaginative play and with encouragement and direction, can help to limit anti-social behaviour.
The interactions that take place in public space provide a rich education for children about the world around them and the people who live in it. It is important that children are encouraged to feel a sense of ownership and responsibility in using the public realm which they can take with them into adulthood.
Project Delivery
Play Spaceswill take place simultaneously in the three wards of the Borough and gradually bring the children from the three wards closer together in a shared outcome. A team of six artists will be employed to deliver the project. It is expected that either, one artist will take responsibility to lead and co-ordinate the team and direct the project, or that an additional person will act as co-ordinator and community liaison. Artists will have complementary skills and experience of working in community contexts. Initially, two artists will work in each of the three wards, based in local community centres and parks and working in the children’s neighbourhoods. In the early stages of the project, exploring the local environment and its resource features will be important. Artists should seek to involve parents and grandparents in the project where possible and encourage the children to talk to their parents about the project.
The attached report highlights the arts projects that have taken place in the various wards of Sligo in recent years, these projects have ranged from street art and murals to street carnival preparations, photographic and film recording, ceramic art, puppetry, drawing and sculptural explorations. It is hoped that in designing this project, the artists will recognise the work of previous art projects, building on and adding to the artistic experiences of families in these areas.
The process will be closely documented. The children’s personal technology such as mobile phones and computers will be put to creative use in the project. The outcome of the project will be presented prominently in the Borough and on sligoarts.ie. The duration of the project activity will be six weeks, with some additional time allowed for preparing the outcome and presentation.
All households with children between the ages of 8 and 12 living in social housing will be invited to participate in the project. The artists will devise an attractive invitation which will be issued to all target households. Participation will be re-enforced with the support of the Sports and Recreation Partnership and Sligo Education Centre. The project will focus on three parks in each of the wards; Doorly Park, Mitchell Curley Park and a new neighbourhood park in Ballytivnan.
It is expected that contact time with the children will be intensive in the first four weeks with a minimum of two contact sessions per week in each of the wards. It is expected, because of the scale of the project and the short duration, that significant time will be given to planning and co-ordinating the activities. It will be at the discretion of the team if they wish to appoint a person as community liaison for the project. It will also be at the discretion of the team if they wish to appoint an advisor or professional expertise. The team will be required to report to the public art officer on a weekly basis.
In Phase 2 of Sligo Borough Council’s new Per Cent for Art commissioning programme, sculptures will be commissioned for Doorly Park, Mitchell Curley Park and Ballytivnan commencing in Autumn 2011. Artists in Phase 1, Play Spaces, are asked to link some activity to Phase 2 and the forthcoming sculpture commissions. It is envisaged that there will be engagement between the sculptors and the young participants following the delivery of Play Spacesin order to inform the young people and their families about the sculptures and encourage respect for art in public space.
Participant, Location and Community Details
The total number of children aged between 8-12, living in social housing in the Borough is 168.
The number living in the West Ward is 58 in 14 estates or terraces.
The number living in the North Ward is 66 in 18 estates or terraces.
The number living in the East Ward is 44 in 10 estates or terraces.
The Locations for activities in each ward are:
West Ward: The Caltragh Community Centre and MCR Centre and Mitchell Curley Park
East Ward: The MCR Centre and Doorly Park
North Ward: The Northside Community Centre and Ballytivnan Park
The Public Art Officer will provide the team with key community contacts in each of the wards.
Budget
The budget, funded by the DEHLG Per Cent for Art Scheme, is €20,000 and will cover all aspects of the project, including artist’s fees, sub-contracted services and fees, insurance, materials, venue hire, editing and production. Artists’ fees includes programme planning time, team meetings and meetings with the Public Art Officer. The budget is itemised as follows:
Artists’ fees for first four weeks€350 per artist per week
Artists’ fees final two weeks€250 per artist per week
Additional expertise and production of outcome€5,000
Community Liaison and co-ordination€700
Materials per ward€800
Venue hire/expenses€1800
Tender Requirements
Artists are invited to submit a tender as a team of six, showing complementary skills and experience
The tender should address the following in detail
1.Identify six team members and supply C.V.s
2.Give details of the proposed programme of activities indoor and outdoor including park sites
- Propose how Play Spaces would be linked to sculpture commissions and their sites in Phase 2
- Give a timetable for the activities, week by week.
- Propose the form of outcome and its presentation
- Propose how children’s technology might be used imaginatively
- Outline how the team would encourage and maintain participation
- Proposal for possible Intergenerational participation
- Support and resources required
- Details of Child Protection Training
- Budget Breakdown
- Insurance Cover
The deadline for tender submissions is Friday 1stApril. Interviews will be held with shortlisted teams to discuss their tender on Thursday 7th April.
The Local Authority Policy Context
Strand 1 of Space for Art, Sligo Arts Plan 2007-2012 deals with art in the public realm and sets out key initiatives.
One key initiative of the Plan is to test and develop models of engagement for young people in the public realm (p.18). It is therefore proposed to establish an artist-led project based on children’s use of space for play, open to all and designed to engage 8-12 year olds living in social housing in the Borough.
In the County Development Board’s strategy for the Creative Sligo Initiative 2010-2012, Play Spaces is put forward as a demonstration project which will provide broader social, economic and cultural benefits.
The Local Authority as Commissioners
The project will be delivered by a Local Authority cross-departmental team involving the Housing, Community, Enterprise, Environment & Arts, Architects and Parks and Amenities departments of the local authority.
Artists should be aware that they will be working within the Local Authority’s operative framework. The mission statement of Sligo Local Authorities is, “To provide high quality services, in a democratic and participative environment, to improve the social, economic and cultural development of County Sligo for present and future generations.”
The Local Authority is committed to fair, transparent and accountable working practices. Those commissioned by the Local Authorities, under contract for services, would be expected to adhere to those working practices.
The Local Authority is obliged to have regard to health and safety regulations and would require those under contract for services to be mindful of those obligations where they are relevant to a proposed art project.
Under the Prompt Payments Act, the Local Authority is obliged to release payment on receipt of an invoice within 45 days.
Artists should be aware of Section 195 of the Taxes Consolidation Act of 1997 that empowers the Revenue Commissioners to exempt artists’ income from tax. A tax exemption or clearance certificate is required by the Local Authority prior to payment.
Extent of support and facilitation by the Arts Office
The Public Art Officer, based in the Arts Service, will be the first point of contact with the Local Authority. The Public Art Officer will deal with the project budget and payments.
References
1
2Arts Projects (in Sligo Borough) Research Report by Sue Mahon
3Map of the Borough’s Wards and locations of social housing with details of estates
and households per Ward
[1] Involving young people in the design and care of urban spaces, CABE 2004