Hidden-History, Newham, paid public art comission

Hidden-History, Newham, paid public art comission

Eastside Community Heritage Closing date: Wed, 30 Sep 2026

Role: Creative
Contract: Contract
London

Tue, 11 Aug 2026 "> published -

Job Summary

Eastside Community Heritage (ECH) in collaboration with the Royal College of Art (RCA), is offering artists, paid commissions, based around ECH's themed archive collections.

Job Description

This commission is funded by Arts Council England as part of the Hidden Histories of Newham public art project.
The three artists will be selected through an open call process, and the commission forms the first phase of a two-stage process that will culminate in a significant public artwork in East London.
Following the Community Panel's selection, the chosen artist will enter a second, separately contracted phase to develop and deliver a public artwork in East London.
This commission consists of two phases.
Phase 1: Community Research and Artist Booklet
Three artists will be selected and commissioned to undertake a community engagement and archival research process, focused on one of the following themes:
Working Class History
LGBTQ+ History
Global Majority Communities
Each artist will work directly with communities and with materials from the ECH archive, and will produce a small artist booklet. The booklet should document their research process, reflect on the archival material they have engaged with, present the communities they have worked with, and articulate a creative vision for a potential public art installation. The booklets will be presented to the Community Panel as part of the Phase 2 selection process and will be on display at local libraries in February/March 2027.

The production of the booklet will allow the panel to understand more about you and your processes; how you work with archives and communities, why you want to engage with the subject you propose and how you intend to do so. It will also allow you to develop a more detailed and concrete proposal based on the research you will do in this process.
Phase 2: Public Art Commission
Following the Community Panel's selection, the chosen artist will enter a second, separately contracted phase to develop and deliver a public artwork in East London.
The intended timescale for Phase 2 is approximately six months from commission to completion.
The artwork's location is not fixed in advance.

Job Requirements

Format of artwork
We are open to a wide range of approaches and art forms - including sculptural works, installation, digital or projected media, experiential or participatory formats, and other creative responses. We do not wish to prescribe a particular form, and actively encourage artists to propose whatever approach they feel is most true to the communities and histories they have engaged with. Proposals will be assessed on their artistic merit, community resonance, and practical viability within the available budget.
Selection criteria
The criteria for selection by the Community Panel include:
Responsiveness to and creative use of the ECH archive
Artistic ambition and originality
The ability of the work to speak across cultures and communities
Sustainability; and feasibility within the available budget.
Quality and depth of community engagement

Job Responsibilities

While, we would love the final work to have a lasting presence in the public realm, and a permanent installation is our aspiration; we recognise that permanence is not always possible or appropriate depending on the nature of the work, the site, and the permissions involved. The question of permanence will therefore be decided in discussion with the selected artist, the Community Panel, and relevant partners as part of the Phase 2 development process.

Useful Links

Job Overview

  • Job Title: Hidden-History, Newham, paid public art comission
  • Salary: £15k-£20k
  • Hours: Full time
  • Role: Creative
  • Contract: Contract
  • Closing date: Wed, 30 Sep 2026
  • Location:
    London

How to Apply

Artists are invited to submit a proposal of no more than two pages outlining: their practice and relevant experience; which of the three themes they wish to be considered for; their approach to community engagement and how they have worked with communities before; and an initial sense of how they might respond to the commission. Please include a supporting portfolio of no more than five pages (or a link to an equivalent online portfolio) with examples of recent or relevant work. Proposals and portfolios should be submitted as a single PDF where possible.
Applications should be submitted to ECH at [email protected] by midnight on the 30th September 2026 – late applications will not be accepted.
Please see Artists' brief link