UK Shared Prosperity Fund

Call for artists to Front Street, Acomb for mural and transformation of benches

City of York Council is excited to announce a funding opportunity to enhance the regeneration of Front Street, which will deliver a mural on Front Street and transform the existing wooden benches. The commissions are funded via the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) and work must be completed by 31 March 2025.

There is up to £30,000 available to support the production of the mural and £8,000 for the transformation of the benches. In both cases, the available budget includes all costs for materials, preparation, labour, plant/access, and community engagement.

We are seeking an artist/artist(s) to work with the local community to:

• develop and install a mural that will capture the spirit and sense of community for Acomb, potentially reflect the local heritage and nearby conservation area. The mural will be located at a newly created welcome gateway (at bottom of Cross Street on external facing wall approx. 8x7m), an “in principle” agreement with the building owners is in place and City of York Council is actively securing formal legal agreement.
• refurbish 8 Streetmaster wooden benches within the shopping area of Front Street. The benches are in reasonable condition and the armrests were modified for accessibility in early 2024. We want to inject some vibrancy and fun through their transformation. The benches could tell a story, form a trail, or be independent pieces of art. The bench size is c. 1.8m wide. Please note, Jubilee bench outside Podiatry Centre is not included.

This funding comes via the E1 strand of UKSPF.

The artists must be able to design and deliver all of the work by March 2025.

This funding presents an opportunity for artist(s) to play a pivotal role in the regeneration of Front Street and create a work of art that will be experienced by everyone that visits, works and shops in Acomb. It is expected the artists will work with young people and the community to design, develop and install the mural and transform the benches.

Key focus areas:

• community – demonstrating a local understanding of Acomb.
• designs should avoid any advertisement, text or commercial imagery. The intention is to avoid the need for planning permission for mural by Local Planning Authority. Final designs will be reviewed with planning department to ensure planning permission is not required.
• engagement with young people, community and building owner/tenant to input ideas.
• incorporate new signage colours (leaf green RAL 6002) and new community brand logo in part (logo could be stencilled post works by artist as minimum)
• appropriate preparation of external wall and benches and use of high-quality anti-graffiti paints required, minimum weathering duration is 5-10 years

Artists interested in delivering the projects are asked to complete the application forms, outlining their experience in working with local communities and young people to develop similar projects, a method statement, risk assessment, costs and timings, as set out in the application form.

The successful proposals will support the regeneration of Front Street, actively engage the local community and demonstrate they can design and deliver the projects by 31 March 2025.

Proposals will be scored on:

• deliverability – timetable, Method statement, risk assessment (25 points)
• impact - engagement approach, experience and track record (25 points)
• strategic fit – support for Acomb Front Street Regeneration, fit to community aspirations, social value (25 points)
• value for money – materials, prep work, labour, engagement (25 points)

To be successful, applicants must achieve a minimum score threshold of 70/100.

To request application forms, please email uksharedprosperityfund@york.gov.uk and state whether you wish to apply for mural, benches or both pieces of work.

There is a separate form for each part of the project. If you wish to be considered for both the murals and the benches, please complete both forms in full.

Completed applications should be returned to uksharedprosperityfund@york.gov.uk by 9.00am Monday 9 December 2024. Applications submitted after this time will not be considered.

Location of mural

The mural is located on the side of a building on the corner of Chapel Street and Acomb Front Street. The size of mural would be about 7m wide x 8m high. The mural should extend no higher than top of window and potentially the lower section could be left clear as this is a Blue Badge parking space. The utility cabinet on Cross Street is not included at present, but may be funded separately as part of the Open Reach Art Cabinet programme.

Benches locations

There are 8 benches included in this request. They're located outside;

• Card Factory - Acomb Front Street
• Gateway Centre - Acomb Front Street
• Gateway Centre - Acomb Front Street
• Kings Fish & Chips - Acomb Front Street
• Laughing Llama - Acomb Front Street
• Snips Barbers - Acomb Front Street
• Green Grocers - York Road
• Green Grocers - York Road

Definition of advertisement

Any design should not advertise or contain any wording or text thereby should avoid the need for planning permission. You can find the definition of advertisement online.

Community logo, new signage, planters, and seating

Local Storytelling

Read more about the local history and heritage, and resident research provided by Heritage Hunters Acomb and Westfield.

Comments from the Community

These comments are from the community reflecting their priorities and concerns on public art, murals, and art trails. You can also read the entire Executive Summary Engagement Feedback online.

Comments for:

• 503 respondents (68%) support public art in principle
• Design
  • quality, not graffiti, sympathetic to built heritage
  • village, classy, subtle, tasteful
  • not garish or too modern, bright, fun
  • inviting, murals lift the spirit
• Trail
  • art trail, refresh West Bank Park tree trail, new trail for Fishponds Wood, shopping area
  • green
  • church (like cats trail)
• Local Community
  • use local artists, schools, promote civic pride
  • ownership, local history group
  • conservation area, local content
  • views, competition
  • survey
• Budget
  • more budget
  • ambition (£100,000), use professionals
  • be transformative, impact to cost ratio hugely underestimated
• Street furniture
  • painted utility boxes great, paint bollards too!
• Ward committee
  • more focus on art
  • greenery
  • sustainability
• The Place
  • 4 out of 5 young people interviews would like to see a mural or art trail
• Signage can be delivered through murals

Comments against or other ideas:

• "What a load of bollards"
  • "we want market, artists, pavement cages and planters, but they can come later. Give us the space and the community creativity will follow."
• Cost
  • not needed or priority
• Oppose
  • conservation area not a theme park
• Graffitti and Anti Social Behaviour
  • some oppose due to risk of vandalism (anti-graffitti paint, high walls)
  • long term maintenance
• Other ideas
  • living wall
  • sculpture
  • yarn bomb
  • link with Open Studios
  • clear purpose or theme (link to social or environmental initiative)
  • local history
  • landscape
  • nature (like 'millers plaque' in snicket to windmill
  • use areas above shops
  • historic timeline, images of old Acomb
  • oak
  • mosaics more robust (Saltburn Railway Station)

Impact on Scheme Design

Phase 2 - Develop a scope and procure specialist to deliver mural(s) involve local schools and community for ideas. Explore potential for alternative funding as UKSPF timescales are very tight to deliver this element of the work.

Longer term - Consider further options for public art in Acomb

Also see

• York Economic Strategy
• York Skills Plan