Cheshire West and Chester Council with Cheshire East Council

Cheshire Archives and Local Studies: Creative Engagement Artist Commission Brief, Cheshire’s archives: a story shared

We would like to appoint a lead artist to devise and deliver a creative engagement programme, with the aim to connect a larger and more diverse audience with archives.  This is a core element of the project to relocate Cheshire Archives and Local Studies to new homes in Chester and Crewe, which is now moving into the delivery phase.

 We are interested in creative processes and projects rooted in co-creation, that embody exploration and engagement with the archive collections and deliver on the vision: Cheshire Archives: a story shared.  The design of the creative engagement programme should embody and reflect the intent and vision of the Archives service and of the history centres, and public engagement with this should be at its heart and be integrated from inception to completion.  

 We anticipate that the creative engagement programme will result in artworks that interact with a wider-audience in a public context.  This may be in a range of artforms, eg visual arts, performance, written or spoken word or other artforms; and may be exist as permanent, temporary or a happening or in other forms.  We are open to how this may be delivered, and anticipate it will be informed by the co-creation proceses.

 Key elements to consider at the outset will include, the value of collections to individuals and communities; wider considerations of social impact, historical context and the physicality of the new buildings within their immediate surrounds.  As the new History Centres will be sited within residential and town centre locations, there are opportunities for a ‘hyper-local’ approach and create a new community of interest around the Archives.

 Throughout the commission, the appointed artist will need to liaise closely with the project team, including interpretation planners, evaluation consultants and Community Engagement Officers.

Key stages are:

  • Reviewing collections (Year 1)

  • Working with the project team to consider approaches to community engagement and to identify which collections should be the focus for engagement (Year 1)

  • Agree clear plans for community engagement and consultation with project team

  • Community engagement to inform and develop detailed proposals (Years 1-3)

  • Agree detailed proposals with project team

  • Delivery on time and to budget (Year 2-3)

  • Contribution to the evaluation of the project as a whole (Years 1-3)

Introduction

Cheshire Archives and Local Studies identifies, collects and cares for archives and publications that are the evidence of Cheshire’s communities lives past and present. We deliver access for all of our collections for information, learning and enjoyment to make sure archives survive so that future generations will be able to do the same.

 Cheshire Archives and Local Studies is based at the Cheshire Record Office in Chester, where it has been based since 1985. The building is no longer fit-for-purpose as storage conditions and space do not meet current standards and accommodation for staff, volunteers and public falls below current expectations. Increasingly its suitability is being questioned on health and safety grounds.

 The service secured Accredited Archive Status in 2015 and was reaccredited in 2021, with very positive feedback about its vision for the future of the service, but with the proviso that definite steps must be made towards securing new premises to ensure long term preservation of the archive collections and to enable to delivery of the vision for the service.

 This 10-year vision, which was approved by the two Councils in 2016, sees Cheshire Archives and Local Studies delivering ‘Easy access to histories: collecting evidence of Cheshire’s communities lives past and present, for everyone, for the future’:

 

  • having secured new buildings that are inspiring, innovative and accessible to visitors, providing access to collections and with space for staff, volunteers, collections and future growth

  • using Information Technology to bring the collections closer to people

  • reaching more and a wider range of people through new activities and opportunities onsite and around the county

  • having increased and diversified funding, including commercial activity, putting the service on a more sustainable basis

 Funding for the delivery of this vision has been secured through the Councils’ capital programmes and a delivery phase grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund. The development phase of the project, which took place between 2020 and 2022, resulted in

  • a detailed Activity Plan, rooted in consultation with target audiences for this project

  • a RIBA Stage 3 Interpretation Plan

  • RIBA Stage 3 designs for the proposed new centres, which will be in Chester and Crewe

 In Chester, a site on Lightfoot Street, Hoole, has been secured, while in Crewe the allocated site is the old Crewe Library, which has now been demolished for this project. Planning permission for the new history centres was secured in March 2023. Since the funding was secured, building designs have progressed to the end of RIBA Stage 4 and construction is expected to begin in October 2024, lasting for 15 months. Activity Plan delivery will continue until June 2027.

Creative engagement

The overarching aim of the commission is to develop artistic interventions with members of the community using the archive collections as inspiration, using creativity as a means of engaging with archives, perhaps for the first time for many. The appointed artist will work alongside the wider project team to conduct community engagement, consultation and research. The artist will consider place, the people who use the space and the surrounding environment to explore and reveal layers of Cheshire’s history.

 We will ask them to take into consideration:

  • The importance and relevance of the archive collections to Cheshire communities

  • How people respond to the collections, their form and the stories within them

  • How enhancements to the physical infrastructure of the buildings can reflect the intent and vision of the archives service

  • Curiosity – using the collections to encourage exploration of the histories and stories held within the archives

  • Work done to date (e.g. by the Interpretation Planners) on how people respond to archives

 The work will be underpinned by

  •  engagement with communities and audiences which form part of the project Activity Plan

  • public art commissioning frameworks for Cheshire West and Chester and Cheshire East

 Targets in the project Activity Plan are subject to review but are currently

  • 120 school pupils

  • 160 people engaged through one-off events

  • 20 people involved on regular basis

Please view summaries of key project documents. 

Scope of services

The appointed artist will work with the client team to develop an approach for a programme of community-focused, creative [activities] that engage audiences with the archives.  

 Our aspiration is to work with a sufficiently experienced, professional artist who has:

  • A track record of successful engagement with diverse communities, considering the different needs and opportunities this brings

  • A previous track record of working in cross discipline teams and with other design professionals

  • A breadth of knowledge and experience evidenced in previous work

  • Ability to engage with a strategic vision

  • Experience of research-based projects

  • Ability to inspire and bring vision, with new perspectives and approaches

  • Confidence of experience and approach to gain the trust of a range of stakeholders

  • Ability to inspire and communicate difficult and challenging concepts with communities

 This role includes:

  • Engaging communities across Cheshire, but particularly in the areas surrounding the history centres

  • Understanding the requirements of the National Lottery Heritage Fund

  • Liaising with and reporting to the Client Team

  • Engaging with the Archives team & volunteers

  • Collaborate with consultants eg Interpretation Planners, to ensure a joined up approach

  • Developing a cost-effective, innovative programme of creative public engagement and embedding this into the scheme

  • Working in a way which delivers a high quality product to time and within budget

 

Priority audiences for this commission

 These are currently

  • Communities around the centres in Crewe and Chester. The appointed artist should ensure that they work closely with Crewe Town Council, Cheshire East and Cheshire West and Chester Communities teams to ensure that the diversity of these communities is considered when developing their proposals. The Archives team’s Community Engagement Officers will also support this element of the project

  • Community groups across Cheshire West and Chester and Cheshire East

  • School students and teachers

  • FE/HE students

Collaboration with the Project Team

  • The artist will collaborate with the project team, attending appropriate Project Team meetings, and other meetings as required related to the development of creative engagement progamme and resulting artwork/s;
  • Develop and share an engagement programme plan and report back on progress
  • Develop and share a delivery programme and plan – resulting from the engagement
  • Share the proposals for resulting artworks or commissions, and where appropriate produce concept and design proposal/s which include:
    1. Proposals for art commissions,
    2. Technical information for all art proposals
    3. [If appropriate] the names of other artists recommended for completing the art commissions (working with the Arts Teams).
    4. A detailed programme for the delivery of the commissions, including timescales.
  • A final report that shares the final outcomes and artworks of the creative engagement programme

Evaluation

The artist will also be required to keep a record and documentation of the engagement conducted with members of the local community.  Alongside evaluation of the process for future strategy development and reporting to the Heritage Fund. An evaluation framework for the project as a whole has been written and an evaluation consultant has been appointed for the wider project.

Budget

The budget for this commission is:

Community engagement: £20,000

Delivery of creative interventions: £130,000.

The fee will cover all artists’ time, expenses, engagement, design and production costs. The artist(s) will work on a self-employed basis and are able to engage additional expertise as required to deliver different aspects of the brief. These should be identified clearly in the tender response.

Reporting Protocols

Day to day management will be via the Arts teams in the respective councils. These teams will be responsible for setting the tempo for the commission, the vision and ensuring that the commission is executed according to the brief and the key deliverables are produced to the required quality and in the right time. The appointed artist(s) will be expected to report to project team meetings at key stages during the commission. There will also be ongoing liaison with the Archives service during the delivery of the project Activity Plan. The community engagement plan, consultation plan and final proposals will be signed off by the Project Board and in accordance with the councils’ public art commissioning protocols [Appendix A].

Timetable

Brief issued: September 2024

Appointment: October 2024

Delivery of commission: October 2024-October 2026

New centres open: January 2026

Proposal Submission Requirements

The client team is seeking an artist that shares the culture, ambition, and commitment to securing a step change for the provision of Archive Services in Cheshire West and Chester and Cheshire East.

 Submissions should demonstrate:

  •  A collaborative approach to the commission and to working with the Cheshire Archives and Local Studies team and its partners, including the following characteristics:
    • Responsiveness to the brief and client
    • Understanding the place and people
    • Understanding National Lottery Heritage Fund outcomes
    • Audience understanding
    • Passion, enthusiasm, and commitment
    • Innovation
  •  A clear methodology including documenting the process of engagement.
  • Consideration of evaluation of the commission in terms of meeting Heritage Fund outcomes
  • Examples of previous relevant work, similar in nature, scope and scale

 Evaluation of Proposals

West and Chester Council (CW&C) and therefore all externally commissioned work will be procured under CW&C procurement rules. Cheshire East Council will be fully involved in the process and will need to agree to all appointments during this process.

 All submissions will be reviewed by a panel representative of both Cheshire West and Chester Council and Cheshire East Council’s Arts Teams and the Cheshire’s Archives: A Story Shared project team.

 Shortlisted artists will be invited to interview.

 Shortlisting will take place week commencing 30th September 2024

 Interviews will take place on Friday 11th October 2024

 Please submit your proposals to:

Helen Paton, Cultural Economy Manager, Cheshire East Council

Helen.paton@cheshireeast.gov.uk

Deadline for submission is Sunday 29th September

Late submissions will not be accepted.