Light Festival Commission - St George's Arts Centre

Gravesham Light Festival 2027 – GALACTIC GLOW

Artist Commission Brief: St George’s Arts Centre, a cosmic adventure

We are seeking proposals from artists, designers, creative collectives and practitioners to transform St Georges Arts Centre into an immersive, illuminated universe as part of Galactic Glow, our 2027 Light Festival. We are looking for an ambitious and bold installation that uses light, sound, and tactile elements to create an unforgettable journey into another world.

The commission should encourage visitors to pause, explore, play and immerse themselves in a wonderous cosmic landscape.

It is important that the creative considers the use of space as an exhibition for visitors to wander through and engage at their own pace during the month of January.  It also needs to allow sufficient floor space for the annual silent disco that takes place during the Light Festival.

The installation is primarily intended to build excitement and anticipation for the Light Festival, while also acting as a marketing tool to raise awareness among visitors about the festival taking place at the end of the month.  It should therefore be exciting, compelling and visually engaging, creating a sense of intrigue and encouraging visitors who may not be aware of the Light Festival to ask questions, find out more and ultimately engage with the festival itself.

Theme: Galactic Glow

The installation must respond clearly to the Galactic Glow theme. Proposals may explore, but not limited to - constellations, imagined planets, cosmic landscapes, space travel, meteor showers, star maps, science fiction, community stories written in the stars, or the sense of wonder created by looking up at the night sky.

Location

The installation will be located in the St George’s Arts Centre.

Who Can Apply

Artists, designers, makers, creative collectives or community arts organisations with experience of public-facing work.

Artwork Requirements

The successful artist will design, create, and install an immersive artwork within a gallery setting that transforms the space into a visually striking and engaging experience.

The installation must glow, illuminate, reflect, fluoresce or otherwise use light as a central visual feature.

Create a fully immersive environment rather than a standalone object

Be safe, robust, accessible, and inclusive.

Appeal to a broad audience, including families, young people, and adults

The artwork must have a clear connection to the theme.

Materials and power use should be considered carefully, with sustainable and reusable approaches encouraged.

Selection Criteria

A selection panel will review submissions and may invite a shortlist to take part in an on-line interview to answer any questions that may arise from the panel. All proposals will be presented as anonymous to the panel who will use the following criteria to score the work:

·       Artistic quality: strength, originality and visual impact of the proposed idea.

·       Theme response: clear and imaginative connection to Galactic Glow.

·       Public experience: accessibility, audience appeal and suitability for a light festival setting.

·       Feasibility: realistic budget, timeline, technical approach, safety considerations and ability to deliver.

·       Sustainability: responsible use of materials, energy and potential for reuse or future presentation.

Artist obligations

All costs for the piece including materials, install and de-install must be included in the budget.  Access for installation will be on the 2^nd, 3^rd & 4^th of January, opening to the public on the 5^th January.  De-installation must take place on Sunday, 31^st January.

The total fee is up to £2,500

The total available commission is inclusive of artist fee, materials, travel, preparation time, and documentation costs. Artists should provide a realistic outline of how they would allocate the budget in relation to the scale of the proposed activity.

How to apply:
Artists should submit the following by email to: artsandculture@gravesham.gov.uk paying close attention to the selection criteria.

·       A short description of the proposed installation and how it responds to Galactic Glow.

·       Initial sketches and examples of what the installation might look like together with a floor plan. 

·       A description of the creative process.

·       An outline budget, including artist fees, materials, fabrication, installation, technical support and maintenance.

·       Any access, safety, power, stewarding or technical requirements.

Submissions should be clearly titled Light Festival 2027 – St George’s Arts Centre and emailed to: artsandculture@gravesham.gov.uk

Deadline: Midnight on Monday 21^st September 2026