DEADLINE: THURS 12 FEB 2026
Calling NEL artists to help inspire change through creativity
‘Our Future Starts Here’ is a bold, future-facing, creative public programme for North East Lincolnshire, funded by the National Lottery Community Fund bringing together partners to uplift and champion the area, raise pride levels and inspire longer term environmental action.
As part of the significant Our Future Starts Here programme launch, taking place over four weeks in April 2026, we’re looking to commission North East Lincolnshire based artists and / or organisations to deliver creative activity specifically inspired by our life giving Sun.
We have a preference for immersive / interactive activity whether this be a programme of workshops, or a one-day activity that participants can get involved with.
Key objectives are to support public understanding of the sun’s value to earth and life on earth and / or to support understanding of what everyday human actions can be taken to preserve the natural ecosystems at play (see below for more information).
Work may be presented at Grimsby Minster or within other settings as suits your proposed project and intended audience and participants, but must be accessible and sustainably delivered. It is possible that some activity could be in situ or take place in April / May, or April or May, extending to, or during late May half term.
Given the time-frames, we are seeking approaches and work that can be delivered within these, including any pre-activity and engagement.
For these initial commissions we are offering:
- 3 commissions of £2500
- 1 commission of £1000
- 1 commission of £500
Please send a 1 page proposal together with any reference images to charlotte@theculturehouse.co.uk by midnight on Thursday 12 February and include:
- Proposed activity / approach
- How it meets the aims
- Who is your intended audience and age range
- Budget breakdown
- How many days / what the engagement looks like
- Indication of setting
- How it will be delivered sustainably
FURTHER INFORMATION
1. Purpose of the brief
The Sun is the foundation of life on Earth and reminds us that all life on earth is powered by a shared source. This brief invites artists and creative practitioners to interpret the Sun as a symbol of energy, light, balance, renewal and interconnectivity.
The purpose of this brief is to commission or support artworks and/or public-facing workshops that:
- Educate audiences about the Sun’s qualities and its role in sustaining life on Earth
- Explore the relationship between solar energy, climate systems and human activity
- Inspire curiosity, care / a sense of responsibility and positive climate action through creative engagement
Artists are encouraged to translate scientific, environmental and cultural understandings of the Sun into accessible, imaginative, immersive and emotionally connective experiences for primarily family audiences.
2. About the Sun
The Sun’s qualities and themes include (but are not limited to):
Life-Giving Energy – light and heat, supporting food systems, oxygen production, warmth, growth, renewable energy (solar power)
Cycles and Time – dictating day and night, seasons, growth cycles, and migration patterns, balance, seasonal living, rest, renewal and daily cycles of sunrise and sunset.
Interconnection – highlight the interconnectedness between atmosphere, land, oceans, plants, animals and people. Nothing on earth exists in isolation.
Climate Regulator – a stable relationship between Earth and the Sun enables habitable conditions, while human-driven climate change can disrupt these delicate systems. In the context of climate change, it can also represent solutions, particularly through renewable energy (solar power) .
Hope, Renewal, Constancy and Wellbeing – across cultures, the Sun has symbolised hope, warmth, growth, knowledge, reliability, ‘feel good’, happiness
3. Artistic and Creative Approaches
Artists may respond to this brief through a range of formats, including but not limited to:
- Visual art (installation, illustration, textiles, photography)
- Participatory activities or workshops
- Interactive or immersive experiences
- Performance or movement-based work
- Music and spoken word
- Outdoor, indoor, or community-based projects
Artists are encouraged to:
- Translate complex ideas into engaging, accessible ones
- Consider how people connect to climate issues, not only intellectually, but also emotionally
Projects must remain inclusive and welcoming, should instil fear and be empowering
We welcome a proportion of proposals for activities specifically for Special Educational Needs and Disabilities groups and audiences or, activities that can be easily adapted to suit this audience
We also welcome proposals from existing groups, working together with an artist or artists / or vice verse
We’d keen to see proposals that potentially connect to and reference our place although this is not essential
4. Inspiring Climate Action
Artists should consider how their work might move audiences from ‘awareness’ to action in the longer term. This might include:
- Inviting audiences / participants to imagine mindful, interconnected, ’planet first’ futures
- Encouraging care for particularly local ecosystems
