Call for applications: first@108: public art award

Applications are now open for the 2017 FIRST@108: Public Art Award, a unique biennial award organised by the Royal British Society of Sculptors (RBS), designed to offer sculptors an opportunity to extend their practice into competing for public art commissions The award is open to sculptors of any age and nationality working in any style or media who are yet to be recognised as practitioners in public art, and who have not yet won an open (or closed) competition for a commission to create an art work for a public space to the value of £15,000. For those who have received formal training, the expectation is that they will have a minimum of three years’ post-education practice. The 2017 award theme is: ‘The Poetics of Structure’. Open to multiple interpretations and approaches, the theme lends itself to responses from artists interested in the structural and…

Applications are now open for the 2017 FIRST@108: Public Art Award, a unique biennial award organised by the Royal British Society of Sculptors (RBS), designed to offer sculptors an opportunity to extend their practice into competing for public art commissions.

The award is open to sculptors of any age and nationality working in any style or media who are yet to be recognised as practitioners in public art, and who have not yet won an open (or closed) competition for a commission to create an art work for a public space to the value of £15,000. For those who have received formal training, the expectation is that they will have a minimum of three years’ post-education practice.

The 2017 award theme is: ‘The Poetics of Structure’. Open to multiple interpretations and approaches, the theme lends itself to responses from artists interested in the structural and the engineered as a way of conveying meaning.

Five proposals will be selected. The five shortlisted sculptors will be paid a £500 fee for the design and submission of a maquette and proposal. They will also participate in the exhibition of shortlisted work in the RBS Studio Gallery from 8 March-5 May 2017, and will be included in the FIRST@108 Award catalogue.

The winning sculptor is awarded £10,000 towards the cost of producing a large-scale, site-specific sculpture or installation. Over the following six months, the fabrication of the winning work is supported by the award and the winner is mentored by a team of experienced professionals (engineers, consultants and artists) to ensure the concept is delivered to the required exacting standards of work to be installed in public spaces. Following the award process, the winning work remains the artist’s to keep or sell.

To apply online, please click here and include the following:

• Five images of recent work, or work that relates to this award. These must be PC-compatible, JPEG format, 72 dpi, no larger than 500 kB each and titled with the artist’s name, title of work, year of work, medium and dimensions (h x w x d);
• A CV;
• A brief statement about your approach to the award
• A note about what you hope to achieve by winning the award

Please note that a £20 entry fee applies, to be paid by PayPal.

The submission deadline is 6 January 2017 at 5 pm.

All applicants will be informed whether their application has been shortlisted by 31 January 2017.

For more information, please click here, to read the award guidelines click here, and to read the rules and eligibility criteria click here.