Freelance Artist – Welfare Banner Micro-Commission

Are you an artist with a creativity for exploring themes of sports, creativity, leisure, the historic role of welfares? This could be a unique opportunity to help bring the stories of Britain’s mining heritage to life.

We’re looking for an artist to co‑create a large‑scale community banner celebrating the heritage and present‑day role of miners’ welfares.

What you’ll do:

• Plan and deliver co‑creation workshops with community groups.
• Develop a banner, incorporating outcomes from community workshops, reflecting welfare heritage, creative health and lived experience
• Create a durable, exhibition‑ready banner suitable for long‑term display and be used as part of the Museum’s handling collection

Indicative Timeline and Key Milestones

Expression of Interest due: 5 October 2026
Artist appointed: 9 October 2026
Workshop planning: Mid–Late October 2026
Deliver workshops: November–December 2026
Final banner assembly: January 2027
Banner installed in Welfare Exhibition: February 2027

Total Artist Budget: £3,500 (plus travel expenses)

To apply, please submit a proposals to imogen.walsh@ncm.org.uk by Monday 5 October, 5pm. Proposals can be submitted in any format, such as a short video or a side‑of‑A4.

Proposals should include:
– Idea for the banner
– What you would include in the workshop to achieve the banner outcome and support our
capabilities framework
– How you will allocate the budget
– How the project will be accessible and inclusive
– How you can support evaluation, including documenting the process of creating the
banner
– Examples of previous work — ideally including experience of community engagement in
former coalfield communities and/or working with people with lived experience of
physical and mental ill health
– Confirmation of public liability insurance

Accessibility is important to us. If you require any accessibility support with the application process or have any queries, please contact: imogen.walsh@ncm.org.uk.