Artist Call: Creative Nature Films, Down to Earth

We’re looking for an artist to feature in our Creative Nature Films, a series of 10 short films showcasing Wigan’s distinctive and historic green spaces. Each film will feature an artist led activity in nature, demonstrating how to creatively engage with these spaces.

Creative Nature Films will produce a series of 10 short films showcasing Wigan’s distinctive and historic green spaces from beautiful parks, woodlands, wetlands, National Nature Reserves and community gardens. The short films will highlight nature’s seasonal wonders and feature creative nature activities that can be enjoyed throughout the seasons.

Each film will be three-minutes long and feature a 2-minute interview with a local greenspace expert followed by a 1-minute artist led activity in nature, demonstrating how to creatively engage with these spaces.

Job Requirements

Is the outdoors your studio?

We are looking for a passionate and talented artist to feature in Creative Nature Films.

• You will be featured in a series of 10, 3-minute nature films, each following an interview with a local green space expert
• You will be featured for up to 1-minute in each film
• You will design 10 engaging and creative activities responding to each green space and season
• Each activity will demonstrate innovative ways to creatively interact with and make use of Wigan’s green spaces
• Each activity will be family friendly and will utilise items that can easily be found in nature within each location
• You will work alongside local green space experts, Northern Heart Films, who will be mentoring an early career filmmaker, and Down to Earth, Wigan’s Creative People and Places programme, who work across the borough of Wigan to involve more people than ever before in creative activities

Locations:

• A variety of green spaces across the Wigan Borough

Job Responsibilities

Key Information:

• Schedule: 1 film per month excluding (December 2025 & January 2026)
• Commencing: March 2025
• Ending: March 2026
• First film: To be completed by the end of April
• Filming days: 10 half days in person filming
• Prep: Half day prep for each activity

Key Participants:

• Interviewers: Down to Earth
• Interviewees: 10 Greenspace Experts
• 10 Artistic Demonstrations: 1 Artist
• 10 Short Films: Early Career Filmmaker
• Mentorship Support: Northern Heart Films

Films

• Consider seasonal changes and what natural materials will be available each month
• Focus on activities happening in different seasons, highlighting green spaces
• Activities will feature creative interpretations of how to engage with and utilise the green spaces artistically
• Be considerate and respectful of local nature and habitats

Budget:

• Total project budget: £3k March 25 to March 26

The fee is £300 per film, covering a half-day shoot (up to 4 hours) and a half day prep for each activity.

How to Apply

Applications close on Friday 4th April 9am with applicants contacted with outcome no later than Friday 18th April.

To apply, please send your application to hannah.thompson@groundwork.org.uk by 9am on Friday 4th April 9am 2025.

For your application, we would like the following:

• Personal information e.g. your full name, date of birth, address, phone number and email address, location you currently reside
• An outline of your relevant experience in delivering outdoor arts activity
• Present an example of a nature activity that could work well in this context

All applications will be assessed for eligibility by Down to Earth team with support of Northern Heart Films and short listing may be required, depending on the number of applications. A maximum of 10 applications will be sent to panel. The successful applicant will be selected by our core community panel.

You can present your application in the format that feels most appropriate e.g. an artist CV or a video to camera.