Four opportunities available each with a £2,400 commission fee

This is an open call for visual artists to create a series of small-scale, hand-painted (or sprayed) artworks on utility cabinets around the Creative Central NCL area in Newcastle City Centre.

These commissions will act as creative wayfinding - helping people navigate the city centre through playful, eye-catching artworks inspired by nearby creative, cultural and heritage venues and landmarks. The cabinets will form part of an evolving visual story about Creative Central NCL and the artists, businesses and communities shaping the area.

What are we looking for?

We're looking for artists who can create distinctive, site-responsive designs that:

• Work at a small scale but still have visual impact in a busy city centre
• Take advantage of the utility cabinet format and their specific locations
• Help people navigate towards nearby creative, cultural and heritage venues and landmarks - without acting as direct advertisements

Your artwork must be painted or sprayed directly onto the cabinets (vinyl wraps are not permitted).

Who is it for?

This opportunity is for visual artists who want to showcase small-scale artwork in public space and help people find their way around central Newcastle in a creative, unexpected way.

We welcome applications from creatives across the UK but are especially interested in artists and organisations based in or with strong links to the North of Tyne area, including Newcastle, Northumberland, and North Tyneside.

How to apply

Deadline for applications 9am on Monday 15 December 2025. https://creativecentralncl.co.uk/opportunities/four-opportunities-for-utility-cabinets/ - Please visit the Creative Central NCL website to read the brief and guidelines before starting your application.

Applications should be the equivalent of one side of A4 or a maximum two-minute audio/video recording, and must include:

• A quick sketch of your idea
• A brief artist bio
• Links to your previous work or portfolio
• Summary of your idea and how it responds to the brief