Light Night 2020 are looking for Community and Artistic Commissions - Deadline Passed

Artists and creatives, groups and organisations based in and around Nottingham are invited to propose activations as part of Nottingham Light Night 2020.

Deadline for applications: 1pm, 15th November.

Nottingham Light Night 2020 will be the twelfth edition of this highly successful event, which brings high quality accessible work to Nottingham City Centre, attracting communities into the City Centre across a range of demographic backgrounds. Innovative, interactive and engaging installations, performances and activities will happen across the city, based aroundthe theme of ‘Life on Earth’.

This wide-ranging theme can be interpreted in a number of ways: Humanity and Society, Nature and Animals, Environment and Sustainability, Our Green City or Science and Philosophy.

Another major emphasis for the 2020 programme is interactive and playable. They want the majority of installations, activities, performances and events to be opportunities for the public to engage and interact, ideally at the event, but this could be through workshops in advance and co-creation approaches.

The 2020 event will take place across two nights and one day (extended beyond the previous 1 night edition) on Friday 7th and Saturday 8th February. The event is expected to attract 50,000 people, mainly local families, with a media reach of over 600,000.

The event is co-ordinated by the Nottingham Events team, with support from Nottingham Business Improvement District and public funding from the National Lottery through Arts Council England.

Artist Commisions

Light Night are inviting artists and creatives to propose interventions in the City Centre. Applications can be made for small commissions between £500 and £3500, expected to be an average of £1500 with a minimum of three commissions made. We are particularly interested in proposals that have a connection to the following:

1. Literature and Libraries – using space in the Central Library, celebrating our City of Literature status and promoting a love of reading.
2. Science and Curiosity – generate an excitement for the Festival of Science and Curiosity happening 12-19 February that celebrates Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths. We would welcome proposals that can be presented at both Light Night and during the Festival period.
3. Public Realm and Refuse – promoting our army of refuse lorries, road sweepers and city centre bins, sharing environmental sustainability messages. Three sweepers will be available to embellish with lights and vinyl to present roaming work across the city streets, in addition to one parked refuse lorry that could be used as a projection surface and/or for sharing messages the week leading up to the event.
4. Ice Hockley World Cup – link to this international sporting event that Nottingham Arena is hosting the same weekend.

For full details on the commissions for artists download the brief here.

Organisation Commissions

Light Night are inviting groups and organisations to propose interventions in the City Centre as part of Light Night. Applications can be made for between £50 and £500, expected to be an average of £250 with a minimum six commissions made. This small contribution aims to help realise activities for Light Night.

Work should be fully accessible for those with mobility issues.

The duration should ideally be across both evenings, but proposals will not be discounted that will only be present on one day. Projects may also consider how they may be presented on the Saturday daytime and/or in a digital format to access online.

Proposals would be encouraged to involve artists and creatives, and projects may build on exciting work.

For full details on the commssions for groups and organisations, download the brief here.

Please email your proposal to Chelsey.Everatt@nottinghamcity.gov.uk marked 'Light Night 2020 Commission' for artists and ‘Light Night Community Commission 2020’ for organisations, by 1pm on Friday 15th November.

Please contact Chelsey Everatt, Cultural Development Officer with any questions, via email, or telephone 0115 876 5205.

Applicants will be contacted with the outcome by Tuesday 19th November 2019.