Beechcroft Development Ltd (Beechcroft) is the owner of land that was formerly a Wyevale Garden Centre on the edge of the village of Shiplake, Oxfordshire. As a requirement of the planning permission granted by South Oxfordshire District Council for a new 40 home residential development at the above site, Beechcroft must provide public artwork on the site to a value of £14,500.

South Oxfordshire District Council has an active public art policy that encourages developers to utilise artwork to benefit the overall design and function of public spaces. The Council’s policy states that public art must be publicly visible, bespoke for the given location, made by a professional artist and that it is a celebration of the unique identity new developments give to promote new artistic creations. 

Beechcroft would like to work with the artist, residents of the new homes and South Oxfordshire District Council’s Arts Development Officer to create a work of art that provides an artistic landmark that welcomes residents and visitors for many years to come. 

Scope of works

Beechcroft is a multi-award-winning residential developer that puts considerable effort and expense into the quality and landscaping of our external spaces and communal gardens.

We are looking for an accomplished artist specialising in carving and sculpture (in wood, stone or metal) to create either a freestanding decorative sculpture or an artistic seating feature for the public open space in the new development.   

There is an area of public amenity space to the centre of the site which features a children’s play area as well as public amenity space to the east of the site on either side of the vehicular access from Reading Road. Footpaths link these to the main road and the centre of Shiplake village and so they have good public visibility.  

The new public open space provides an opportunity for artwork to enhance the enjoyment of the new development for its residents whilst helping to integrate it with the existing community. We would like our chosen artist to draw inspiration from the human or natural history of the Shiplake area whilst ensuring that it is visually and functionally appropriate to the landscaping and biodiversity of the site.

Selection process and role of the artists

We are advertising this opportunity both locally and nationally. Artists will be selected based on the quality of their previous work, their enthusiasm about this project and their ability to meet the brief within time and budget.

Artists will be shortlisted and interviewed by a representative of Beechcroft and South Oxfordshire District Council’s Arts Development Officer.

Only then would we expect the work of art to be subject to the final design. The work of art would have to be bespoke, one of a kind and uniquely related to this location.

Once commissioned the artists will be asked to undertake a design phase involving researching the history and context of the site and its surroundings, but also getting to know the immediate neighbours and potential purchasers.

Artists will be invited to share design ideas with the commissioning team before a final design is selected after which further planning approval might need to be sought from South Oxfordshire District Council which Beechcroft can facilitate.  

The logistics associated with the installation of the artwork on-site will need further discussion and liaison with the developer and immediate local residents to ensure that it is appropriately timed to avoid unnecessary disruption.

Timescale

1. Brief advertised: April 2024

2. Deadline for submissions from artists: 31st May 2024

3. Shortlisting/ application Assessment: June 2024

4. Artists Interviewed: July 2024

5. Contract selected artist: July 2024

6. Artist research design and community work: August-September 2024

7. Final designs submitted: October 2024

8. Planning application submitted (if required): November 2024

9. Fabrication: November 2024

10. Installation: March/April 2025

11. Celebration/unveiling: April/May 2025                                

Budget

The total budget for the project is £14,500.

We would like to commission this artwork project in 2 phases. The first phase will be a design and research phase, engaging with the community and drafting proposals for the project. The fee for this phase is £2500.

The second phase, after approval of the proposed designs, will be the commission for the making of the artwork for £12,000. This fee should cover all costs associated with the design process, workshop, materials, fabrication, transport and installation.

Commissioner

The contract will be managed by Beechcroft Developments Ltd but once installed the work will be owned by the Beechcroft Foundation which owns and manages the
communal external areas of our development sites.

Applications

Expressions of Interest should be submitted electronically by 31st May 2024 and should include reference to:

• Examples of previous projects you have worked on;
• An artistic statement in response to the brief and your interest in the project;
• An indication of your approach and ideas to this opportunity;
• Ability to deliver this project within the indicated budget and timescale;
• The name and contact details of a previous commissioner.