Dovercourt Road, Lockleaze

Public Art Programme – Call for Artist EOIs now Open!

Deadline: The call out has now closed

Bricks have been appointed to deliver a Public Art Programme for a new residential development in Lockleaze/Horfield.

Based on a former depot to the rear of Dovercourt Road, the site is being developed by Vistry Group (delivery developer) and Goram Homes (housing company). The development will provide 140 new homes as a mix of houses and apartments, 30% of which will be affordable.

The site is surrounded by woodland and provides wildlife corridors through the Lockleaze neighbourhood. Bricks are being led by local residents in drawing up a Public Art Plan and Artist Brief that reflects the character of the site and provides cultural benefits for both future residents and existing local neighbours.

Project Timeline: Spring to Winter 2025

Artist

To be appointed

Client

Vistry Group & Goram Homes

Local Authority

Bristol City Council

Address

Former Depot, Dovercourt Road, Lockleaze, Bristol BS7 9SQ

What is the Commission?

We are seeking to appoint an artist/s to deliver the public art programme on behalf of Vistry Group (the client) and Goram Homes (landowner), who are bringing forward land on Dovercourt Road at the former Bristol City Council depot for development. The scheme includes 140 new homes, alongside public open space and landscaping.

With a budget of £34,500 plus VAT, this is an opportunity for a local artist to develop:

A public artwork and/or creative experiential programme for new and existing nearby residents.
A podcast episode.
A community engagement programme, delivered by either the commissioned artist or a third party.

We’ve been working with some passionate local residents who have helped to create a Design Code for the programme – setting out their hopes and wants for the new development and outlining how creativity could help the new neighbours find places and reasons to connect with the wider community.

Due to this, we are purposely keeping the Artist Brief as broad as possible, and would love to hear initial creative expressions of interest!

Site Visits for Artists

We are scheduling site visits for artists prior to the deadline for EOI submission, please let us know if you would like to see the site in person. At these events you will be able to meet Bricks, hear more about the project and ask questions face to face.

Two separate site visits will take place with Bricks and developer Vistry Group, on:

Thursday 19 December 2024, 1pm to 2pm

Wednesday 08 January 2025, 11am to 12pm

Please contact publicart@bricksbristol.org to request how to book onto these, with the title ‘SITE VISIT’, stating your preferred day.

Aerial virtual image of building block layout of Dovercourt Road development

Further Information on the Dovercourt Road Public Art Call Out

Please find a link here to additional information and frequently asked questions – this document will be updated throughout the commissioning process.

For any further information, please email your question to publicart@bricksbristol.org with the subject line ‘DOVERCOURT INFO’

Please get in touch to discuss any access requirements you have in respect of responding to this brief.

Creative Commissioning Group

The Creative Commissioning Group will shortlist, interview and select the commissioned artist(s) and guide the art commission process, which will be project managed by Bricks. The various design stages of the artwork/s will also be approved by the CCG. The CCG consists of:

Two local community members

Vistry Group – Developer

Goram Homes – Land Owners goramhomes.co.uk

Bristol City Council – Art and the Public Realm Bristol

Bricks – Public Art Producer bricksbristol.org/what-we-do/public-art

The CCG will assess proposals at the various stages against their ability to meet this artist brief.

Work So Far…

On a cold January evening, people local to Dovercourt Road came along to the Cameron Centre, Lockleaze to help create a design code for future public art on the development site (and eat pizza!). The workshop was led by a local creative practitioner Ellie Shipman.

We had such a great response from local people on what they love about public art and what they hate! What is so special about Lockleaze and what they want to celebrate in the new development.

Thanks so much to everyone who came along, we worked up all your brilliant input into a draft design code that has now formed an Artist Brief for the site.