Community Artist commission

Job Summary

Wigan Museum is seeking to appoint a freelance Community Artist (open to all art forms) to work alongside our staff to lead on delivering creative outreach workshops and a final art work by engaging diverse, underserved communities in the borough as part of its main gallery redesign for 2027 launch.

Job Description

Helping create an art work as part of our main gallery redesign, aimed at creating a new heritage that better showcases Wigan's distinct personality, collections and stories and informed by co-creation and consultation.

£6,000 commission fee (+VAT)
A separate budget of £500 for resources and materials

OUR REQUIREMENT
Wigan Museum will have a new design approach that is centred on the borough's unique identity - what we are calling Our Northern Soul - and we will co-develop distinct personality trait themes that showcase what it is to be Wiganese with community partners.

These personality traits will allow us to redefine for our main gallery exhibition the objects, stories and digital content from across the collections. You will reflect on these with groups during your engagement workshops;

Traits; Rebellious, Innovate, Dreamer, Caring, Curious, Legendary, Passionate, Surprising.

We aim to relaunch the Museum's main public exhibition for summer 2027 with different and surprising ways to celebrate the borough's heritage and showcase the everyday and the extraordinary.

The outputs from this project will be installed in the central Our Northern Soul display in the main gallery to collectively represent these personality traits and showcase the diverse communities and heritage of the borough. The artworks can be in any medium.

Wigan Museum has identified local community groups from the borough that we would like you to work with as part of this commission. You will work with 2-6 of these groups, to be agreed on exact number/who. Wigan Museum staff will support communication with these groups and assist you with organising sessions. You will be responsible for planning and delivery of session content.

Duration: From September 2026 to June 2027

Wigan Museum is due to open to the public in summer 2027. Artworks will need to be ready for installation by April 2027.

Job Requirements

The Artist will:
work with our museum team to assist on workshop delivery, spaces for workshops, and groups we have relationships to connect with.
work from their own premises to create the artwork/s, and required to deliver the engagement sessions at partner venues across Wigan Borough as necessary.
be expected to provide their own IT/production equipment to enable them to fulfil the requirements of the contract, including access to a computer/laptop, the internet and phone.
be expected to provide any materials, travel and accommodation that they require for the contract.
must support Wigan Council and funder requirements and share work with project partners as directed by Wigan Council.
comply with the National Lottery Heritage Fund's Acknowledgement Guidance within all their outputs.
be required to have relevant Public Liability insurance and safe-guarding certification, and public liability insurance.

Job Responsibilities

The artist will:
Work collaboratively with Wigan Museum team of staff, their partners and local people on the delivery of the commission.
Working with our museum manager and team to deliver a minimum of 12 engaging creative workshops with 2-6 local community groups across Wigan Borough from September, with a focus on encouraging fun experimentation using a variety of techniques. September 2026 - January 2027
The above engagement will inform your creation for an original artwork for display in Wigan Museum.
Propose for agreement, to the Project Manager and the Exhibition Designer, a final artwork/s that reflect at the communities/individuals from across the borough of Wigan who you have engaged. These should be diverse groups/individuals and reflect some of the traits. January 2027
Production of final artwork/s. February - March 2027.
Work with the Exhibition Designer and Wigan Museum staff on the installation of the artwork/s as an integrated part of the new exhibition

Useful Links

Wigan Museum link

Job Overview

Job Title: Community Artist commission
Salary: Under £10K
Hours: Part time
Artform: Combined arts
Role: Creative
Contract: Temporary
Closing date: Mon, 31 Aug 2026
Location:

North West

How to Apply

Details on how to apply and full job description here;
https://www.theturnpikegallery.org.uk/About-us/Opportunities.aspx

Contact name: Email application to; Caroline Storr
Contact email: [email protected]

About Wigan Borough Council

Wigan Council has been voted ‘Overall Council of the Year’ at the APSE (Association for Public Service Excellence) Awards. We are signed up to the Greater Manchester Continuous Service Commitment ensuring that your service will be continuous or 'unbroken' between the supporting organisations.

It is an exciting time for culture, arts and heritage in Wigan Borough - the Council’s 5-year Cultural Strategy ‘The Fire Within: The Forge’ was recently launched. We are a priority place for Arts Council

Find out more