Opportunities & Events
Artist Commission - Space for Birth
Location: Neath Port Talbot Hospital | Start Date: 15/01/2024
Summary:
A commission for a visual artist to enhance the healthcare environment in the Birth Centre at Neath Port Talbot hospital through the co-creation and installation of a wall-based 2D artwork.
Content:
Project Title: A Space for Birth
Project Commissioner: Johan Skre, Swansea Bay University Health Board
Project Manager: Tracy Breathnach, Wales Arts Health & Wellbeing Network
Artist Fee: £5,000 (inclusive of VAT) – based on 20 days @ £250/day paid in 2 instalments: 50% upon signing contract and 50% upon completion of artwork. Payment by BACS on receipt of an invoice.
Materials Budget: £1,000
Timeline:
· Callout for Artists: 15th December 2023
· Deadline for Proposals: Midday, 10th January 2024
· Announcement of commission: 12th January 2024
· Detailed Brief given: 15th January 2024
· Submission of 3 concepts: 31st January 2024
· 1 concept selected by the team: 5th February 2024
· Final design presented by artist to the team: 27th February 2024
· Installation of artwork: March 2024
· Launch event: End of March 2024
The Brief:
The aim of the project is to enhance the healthcare environment in the Birth Centre at Neath Port Talbot hospital through the co-creation and installation of a wall-based 2D artwork.
- To create a warm, welcoming space for women and people who birth in the centre, incorporating design that can help to increase oxytocin levels and improve natural delivery outcomes.
- To install a visual artwork that travels through each of the rooms in the birth centre to reflect the importance of continuity in the birth experience.
- To include the community midwifery team as part of the design process so they can be part of the process to create a working environment of which they feel proud. [Feedback from these workshops will be shared with the selected artist by 15th January 2024].
- To consult with mothers and people who have given birth there in the past about how their experience might have been enhanced through the design, and with women and people who are pregnant and are planning to birth in the Birth Centre in 2024. [Feedback from these workshops will be shared with the selected artist by 15th January 2024].
The project is managed by Tracy Breathnach, Programme Manager at Wales Arts health & Wellbeing Network who works closely with senior midwives at the Birth Centre, under the overall guidance of Johan Skre, Arts in Health Manager at the Health Board. Tracy will be your main point of contact.
Examples of similar work:
Please contact Tracy for a range of examples of how art has been incorporated into other Birth Centres and Midwifery led Units across the UK.
Your Proposal:
Please include the following in your proposal:
1. A short explanation of why you want to undertake this work (max 300 words or 3 min video) and confirmation that you can work to the deadlines set out in this brief.
2. An initial outline of how you are thinking about the project (this can be written, but should include some visual ideas as a sketch, or collage of ideas). We are not looking for anything final or concrete because the process needs to be a co-creation, so we only need to see how you are thinking about it creatively.
3. Examples of previous work that are relevant. This could include other 2D work in buildings, or other work with a similar theme, or examples of collaborative and co-created projects. You can submit this as weblinks, or a link to a Dropbox or Google folder, or by WeTransfer.
4. An outline of your budget for materials.
We will evaluate based on the following criteria:
1. Understanding/Interest of this area of healthcare (20%)
2. Creative ideas (40%)
3. Previous experience, including co-creation (40%)
Submissions:
You must submit your proposal by email by midday 10th January 2024 to:
· Tracy - programmes@wahwn.cymru
Please contact Tracy if you have any questions. Please note she will not be available to respond to emails 24-28th December.
This project is funded by Arts Council of Wales.