Opportunity for Artists: Outdoor Arts Commission

Croydon Council and Milton Keynes Council have teamed up to offer an exciting opportunity for an outdoor arts commission to be presented as part of the Midsummer Festival in Milton Keynes (June 2025) and Croydon Harvest featuring The Walnut Fair (Oct 2025).

The Commission

We are looking to appoint an experienced artist, creative practitioner or outdoor arts company to develop and deliver a new outdoor performance commission.

Through this commission, we want to demonstrate the value that artists and creative practitioners can bring to public spaces and engage with communities at two major public events being delivered in Croydon and Milton Keynes.

The chosen applicant will develop and deliver a high-energy and impactful outdoor performance work, suitable for a family audience, that can be performed across two locations.

The performance work should draw on the key themes of each festival and take inspiration from ideas including Midsummer folklore, summer solstice, global harvest festival traditions (including The Walnut Fair), seasonal customs of the British Isles (including overlooked folklore traditions), local myths, stories and legends.

The performance will need to take into consideration the wider programme of each Festival and compliment the offer for audiences. Audience engagement will be a top priority and the possibility of a processional or participatory element should be considered.

As the Festivals take place in June and October, the performance will need to be responsive to different weather and light conditions. There is also a need to scale up or down according to respond to audience numbers, as these are free, non-ticketed events.

We also ask applicants to consider the environmental impact of the commission.

The commission budget is £40,000 (excl. VAT). This includes all fees, fabrication costs and performance delivery at both festivals. A project manager would be assigned to support the delivery.

How to apply

Download the information pack below for more information about the commission, and how to apply. Applicants should submit their proposals via email to culture@milton-keynes.gov.uk.

Deadline for applications: Thursday 3 April, 5pm