Call for Artists, National Trust

Call for Artists, National Trust

The brief:

We are looking for…

• Conceptual art installations that are innovative or artistically challenging to tell the story of Margaret Dawson and Beatrix potter

• Visual art projects that can be in a variety of media e.g Sculpture, graphic art, light installations, projections, etc.

• Commissions that ideally people can interact with to encourage social interaction.

The focus should relate to one of the themes and incorporate the sub-themes as listed below:

Initial Provocation (to be positioned on drive way or at entry)

• What was the convention for women at the time?

• What level of control did they have over their lives?

• Does this convention still influence women’s lives today?

Perspectives and preconceptions

• Piecing together the story of Margaret Dawson: protagonist in a story recorded mainly from her husband’s perspective.

• Beatrix Potter away from Hilltop and the ‘little books’.

• Some things haven’t changed – convention still influences women’s lives today.

‘Daughters of the north’

• Both Margaret Dawson and Beatrix Potter had established northern ancestry.

• Both had families who had recently increased in wealth in the industrial and mercantile north.

• Margaret Dawson’s family (the Prestons) had repeatedly prospered in the north and sometimes lost wealth / status before – in some cases restoring it through advantageous marriages.

Beatrix Potter: quietly progressive.

• She came across some gender barriers i.e. not taken seriously in certain scientific circles.

• She worked around these to achieve her goals i.e. through others including men.

• She achieved some goals ‘for everyone’ i.e. support of the National Trust.

Budget:

We are ideally looking for 3-4 projects costing £2000-£3000, or several smaller projects. However, if a submission is significantly more but exceptional then we would be willing to increase the budget.

Timeframe and process:

Artists are encouraged to visit the castle to view the spaces available and get a feel for visitor flow, just get in touch.

Submission of ideas with estimated cost by the 24th of October to anna.pollard@nationaltrust.org.uk

Installation: 26th of February