Shenley Church End is a village, district and wider civil parish in Milton Keynes. The village name ‘Shenley’ is an Old English language word meaning ‘bright clearing’. The historic village includes a conservation area, with Listed Buildings, significant trees and woodland and parkland space. 

Like many residential areas in Milton Keynes, Shenley Church End benefits from a multitude of green spaces. From play areas to open green spaces, there are a many places for residents and visitors to enjoy access to the natural environment. There are a number of ponds and balancing lakes within the area. The Pond on Burchard is located within Shenley Church End and borders the conservation area. The W3W location of the pond is https://w3w.co/intrigues.recently.divisible

Shenley Church End Parish Council, working with Milton Keynes City Council are looking to appoint an experienced creative practitioner, designer or collaborative practice to deliver a new creative engagement commission, which includes the development and delivery of an innovative and inspiring response to the wildlife, flora and fauna found within ‘the pond on Burchard’. 

Due the very special wildlife habitat found within the pond and the surrounding conservation area, it has been necessary to leave the pond in its natural state, which has caused concern from local residents around a general lack of care and upkeep of the pond. The commissioners are keen to use this opportunity to present a ‘portrait’ of the pond, which offers residents and visitors more information about the pond’s habitat and wildlife and the importance of preserving its natural state and appearance. 

Through this commission, we are keen to demonstrate the value that creative practitioners can bring to public spaces, and evidence how public art interventions can enhance the lived experience, meaningfully engage local communities and communicate important information in a creative, playful and engaging way. 

The total fees for the commission are £15,000 ex VAT with a fabrication/installation budget available of £20,000 ex VAT. This includes all fees, fabrication/delivery costs, installation, and publicity. 

Aims for this commission can be summarised as: 

• To develop and deliver a permanent public art commission, which acts as a ‘portrait of the pond’ - communicating the importance of this unique natural habitat to residents and visitors. 
• To investigate the rich habitat of the pond - specifically the flora, fauna and wildlife. To work closely with commissioning partners and build schedule to create a durable and engaging output. 
• To make connections with Future Fossil – An Archaeological Garden by Something and Son – a new public artwork nearby Oxley Park. 
• To work collaboratively and respectfully within the natural environment and existing public realm, taking into consideration any existing constraints and sensitivities. 
• To work with the highest quality materials and fabrication processes, with a life span of 10+ years, ensuring the commission continues to contribute positively to the local area over a long period of time. 

Consideration should be given to environmental impact of the commission. The proposed commission can be of any material and scale. It could be a series of small and interventions or a larger and more substantial work.

Consideration must be given to health and safety implications of the commission. 

Consideration must be given to the natural habitat of the pond and surrounding conversation area. 

Consideration should be given to the durability of the work and its future care and maintenance needs.

The appointed applicant will be required to support any planning applications or other permissions required for commission delivery. 

The appointed applicant will be expected to work closely with the Project Manager to ensure production and delivery. 

Sufficient time and resource should be allocated to marketing and publicity throughout commission development and delivery to share the scheme with the community

There are many creative practitioners, makers and fabricators in Milton Keynes, as well as a rich variety of cultural organisations. It is important that applicant creative practitioners and practices are aware of this context. Additionally, Milton Keynes has an exceptionally strong third sector with many local community groups, clubs and societies.

Budget

The total fees for the commission are £15,000 ex VAT and includes all fees, research and development, travel and expenses and community consultation costs. The remaining £20,000 ex VAT for fabrication/delivery will be retained by Milton Keynes City Council and contracted upon completion and presentation of the final design/approach. 

Additional Support 

A dedicated Project Manager (MKCC) will be assigned to support the delivery of the Commission. Additional support will be provided by stakeholders and partners as required. 

Exclusions We will not accept proposals for existing artworks; projects that do not meet the timescales or budget or approaches that do not respond to the local context. 

How to apply and selection process

To apply for this commission please submit the following information to culture@miltonkeynes.gov.uk

An outline of your approach to this commission brief - max 2 sides of A4.   

Provide up to 3 examples of previous relevant commissions (pdf or jpg file types only) with information about each project – max 5 sides of A4. Please include indicative budget spend for each example and images.    

Current Curriculum Vitae or practice profile  

Letter confirming your availability and contact details for 2 referees (email and telephone) – note: preferably from recent commissioners    

Evidence of insurance cover Please do not exceed 6MB in file size.      

Submissions will be assessed according to the following criteria:  

Approach - respond to identified themes, aims and objectives, with the ability to research and respond creatively to the Brief.   

Quality of previous projects – A proven track record of high-quality delivery, working in collaboration with communities and partners to develop and deliver exceptional, innovative, and engaging artworks within the public realm.    

Experience - successful delivery of projects of similar scale and budget, demonstrable experience of working collaboratively with communities, partners and stakeholders, excellent communication skills with the ability to articulate ideas and processes.   

The deadline for receipt of applications is Monday 22 July at 5pm.