CRESWELL RAILWAY STATION ART PROJECT | ARTIST BRIEF

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATION: 12 noon, Tuesday 6 January 2026

Contents

Overview

1. Aims
2. Objectives
3. Project Context
4. Site and Technical Information
5. The Artwork
6. Community Engagement and
   Co-Creation
7. Artist’s Role and Deliverables
8. Project Partners
   (Commissioning Group)
9. Programme Timelines
10. Budget
11. Insurance, Compliance, and
    Health & Safety
12. Intellectual Property and Credits
13. Application Process
14. Selection and Assessment
15. Access
16. Contact Details

OVERVIEW

In partnership with the Robin Hood Line Community Rail Partnership, Bolsover District Council, Network Rail, CrossCountry, East Midlands Railway, and Creswell Junior School, First Art invites expressions of interest from artists to create a new painted mural on the exterior wall at Creswell Railway Station, and a nearby underpass in Creswell, Derbyshire.

This commission will create a welcoming first impression for passengers and visitors, celebrate Creswell’s identity, and improve the visual environment around the station.

1) AIMS

• Visually improve and brighten the station environment at Creswell Railway Station and the underpass.
• Enhance local pride and sense of place through high-quality public art that references Creswell.
• Create a safer, more welcoming feel for users of the station and passers-by.
• Engage Creswell Junior School pupils in a meaningful co-creation process to ensure the artwork reflects the voices and imaginations of local young people.

2) OBJECTIVES

• Appoint a professional artist/collective with proven experience of outdoor murals/public art.
• Deliver a durable, weather- and vandal-resistant painted artwork appropriate for the site and railway context.
• Facilitate creative engagement sessions with Creswell Junior School pupils to inspire and co-develop ideas for the final design.
• Develop the design with input from pupils and the commissioning partners (see Section 7), within the agreed programme and budget.
• Complete all works safely, adhering to railway/landowner permissions and health & safety requirements.

3) PROJECT CONTEXT

Creswell Railway Station lies on the Robin Hood Line between Worksop and Nottingham. It serves the village of Creswell, located on the Derbyshire/Nottinghamshire border, and visitors to Creswell Crags, a site of national archaeological significance and a key local attraction. The station’s exterior wall provides an opportunity to create a distinctive focal point that welcomes people to the area and reflects local stories.

This project will be co-created with Year 5 pupils from Creswell Junior School through a series of workshops that explore Creswell’s past, present, and future. The artist will work with pupils to generate ideas and themes for the final mural design, ensuring the artwork captures the imagination and ideas of the local community.

4) SITE AND TECHNICAL INFORMATION (to be confirmed)

• Location of wall: WHAT3WORDS ///rocked.skillet.starters
• Surface type/condition: Brick
• Permissions & approvals: First Art with Bolsover District Council will obtain and confirm Risk Assessment & Method Statement (RAMS)/Permits-to-Work
• Wall and underpass photographs:

IMPORTANT NOTE:

Nothing may be affixed that compromises the wall’s structure or essential station operations. All fixings (if any) must be agreed in advance.

5) THE ARTWORK

• Medium: Painted mural (e.g. masonry paint, mineral silicate, or equivalent) with appropriate primers and sealers for the specific substrate.
• Durability: Use robust, UV-stable products and apply an anti-graffiti protective coating where appropriate.
• Design approach: Respond to Creswell’s context (heritage, landscapes, people, industries, Creswell Crags) and create a welcoming and legible mural.
• Co-created: The final design must incorporate ideas and inspiration generated through workshops with Creswell Junior School pupils, reflecting their creative input.
• Maintenance: Specify simple cleaning/maintenance guidance and any colour/paint references required for future touch-ups.

6) COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND CO-CREATION

Young people at Creswell Junior School must be fully engaged as part of this project. The anticipated groups are 2 x classes of 29 pupils from Year 5 (58 pupils in total).

The artist will lead 10 workshops across 5 days (1-2pm and 2-3pm from Friday 30 January to Friday 13 March 2026), engaging two classes in creative sessions exploring Creswell past, present, and future. These sessions will:

• Inspire pupils to engage with the arts and understand their local heritage.
• Generate ideas, drawings, and themes that will inform the final mural design.
• Include a visit to Creswell Crags, connecting the creative process to the area’s rich natural and historical environment.

The artist will be responsible for facilitating and leading all sessions and must produce a Workshop Engagement Plan in agreement with the commissioning group. This plan should outline session content, materials, and how the outcomes will feed into the final artwork.

Workshops may take place in the school or outdoors, as appropriate.

7) ARTIST’S ROLE AND DELIVERABLES

• Site visit & survey: Confirm measurements, substrate condition, access, and logistics.
• Community engagement: Deliver the co-creation workshops as outlined above, capturing pupils’ ideas and creative contributions.
• Concept design(s): Develop 1–2 design proposals inspired by workshop outcomes, with scaled visuals applied to site photographs. Include a short, written rationale.
• Technical method statement: Surface preparation, products/specs (brand and system), application method, coats, cure times, protection of adjacent surfaces, waste management.
• Programme & RAMS: Provide a delivery programme; Risk Assessment & Method Statement (RAMS) aligned to railway/site requirements.
• Final artwork production: Prepare the wall and paint the mural to a professional standard.
• Handover: Provide maintenance notes and final photographic documentation (before/after images).
• Final celebratory event: To attend a celebratory event with the school and partners on the provisional date of 24 April 2026.

8) PROJECT PARTNERS (COMMISSIONING GROUP)

• First Art (Lead commissioner)
• Robin Hood Line Community Rail Partnership (RHLCRP)
• Bolsover District Council
• Creswell Junior School
• East Midlands Railway (EMR)
• Network Rail
• CrossCountry

These partners will review submissions, select the artist, and support design approvals and delivery.

9) PROGRAMME TIMELINES (Please note some timings are subject to change)

• Brief published: 4 December 2025
• Deadline for applications: 12 noon, 6 January 2026
• Shortlisting notification and interviews(online): 8 -13 January 2026
• School workshops: Friday 30 January – Friday 13 March 2026
• Design development & approvals: Friday 27 March 2026
• On-site preparation & painting: w/c 13 April 2026
• Completion / launch: Friday 24 April 2026 1-2.30pm (tbc)

When applying, please indicate any constraints on your availability within this period.

10) BUDGET

Total commission budget: £6,000 (inclusive)

This must cover:

• Artist fees (including delivery of 10 workshops over 6 days)
• Travel, accommodation (if needed), and subsistence
• All materials, primers, protective coatings, consumables
• Access equipment/plant (e.g. scaffold towers, MEWP, barriers) and traffic/pedestrian management, if required
• Site preparation (cleaning, minor prep) and protection
• Insurances and any statutory costs (except those explicitly covered by partners)
• Documentation and handover materials.

11) INSURANCE, COMPLIANCE AND HEALTH & SAFETY

The Artist(s) must:

• Hold Public Liability Insurance of at least £5million
• Provide a Risk Assessment and Method Statement (RAMS) and any required training certification.
• Comply with Construction Design & Management (CDM) duties as applicable, including safe systems of work, welfare arrangements, and environmental management (spill control, waste disposal).

12) INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY AND CREDITS

• The artist(s) retains copyright of the artwork.
• The artist(s) grants First Art, RHLCRP, and other partners a royalty-free license to reproduce images of the work for non-commercial promotional, reporting, and educational purposes (with credit).
• The physical artwork becomes part of the site; long-term retention is at the discretion of the site owner/operator.

13) APPLICATION PROCESS

Applications must be submitted to info@firstart.org.uk, with the subject line ‘Creswell Station Mural – Application – [Your Name]’ by 12 noon, Tuesday 6 January 2026. Late applications will not be considered.

Artists must submit a Letter of interest (max 2 pages) outlining your approach, relevant experience, and initial response to the site, or a video of no longer than 5 minutes, covering the aspects required in the letter of interest.

This should be submitted together with:

1. CV (and CVs of any collaborators).
2. Portfolio: 5–10 labelled images of relevant projects with brief captions: title, location, year, medium, budget.
3. Outline delivery plan /workshops engagement plan: short draft programme and method summary (surface prep, materials, coatings).
4. Budget breakdown: headline costs within the total commission budget.
5. Evidence of insurance (or confirmation you will obtain the required cover, if appointed).

Please keep emails and attachments under 10MB or provide a single link to a cloud folder.

14) SELECTION AND ASSESSMENT

Submissions will be assessed against:

• Artistic quality and relevance to the brief/site
• Quality of engagement approach with Creswell Junior School pupils
• Feasibility & durability of materials and method
• Track record delivering comparable public artworks
• Value for money and clarity of budget/programme

15) ACCESSIBILITY

We are committed to making this opportunity accessible. If you require adjustments or support at any stage, please contact access@firstart.org.uk

16) CONTACT

For questions or to discuss the project please contact Karl Greenwood, Director, First Art at karl@firstart.org.uk

First Art

The Old Brewery, Weighbridge Road, Littleworth, Mansfield NG18 1AH

Email: info@firstart.org.uk

Website: firstart.org.uk

Facebook: @CPPFirstArt Instagram: @cppfirstart

First Art is a Creative People and Places project funded by Arts Council England. First Art is a registered charity (no.1193429). First Art leads the First Art programme in partnership with Creswell Heritage Trust at Creswell Crags, Junction Arts, Active Partners Trust and Bassetlaw Community and Voluntary Service. Find out more at www.firstart.org.uk