Appeal for talent to transform city wall into work of art

Colmore BID is looking for artists to submit proposals for a vibrant new artwork to enhance a large part of Livery Street in the Business District.

The chosen artist will be paid £7,500 for the commission, to be completed in the autumn of this year.

Applications must meet the theme of ‘green in the city’.

The artwork will be in place for a minimum of five years and will cover a concrete wall approximately 8ft high and 60ft wide at the entrance to Livery Street by the junction with Great Charles Street Queensway.

Located by a key entry point to the car park at Snow Hill station, it is also on the route of buses serving the city and for employees walking into the Business District from the Jewellery Quarter.

The artwork needs to be finished in a painted or spray-can medium. Proposals are invited from commercial artists, students and graduates.

In 2013, Colmore BID completed the first version of the art project to enhance the wall by displaying a design of local artist and designer George Benson. This will be covered as part of the project.

The Livery Street Wall project is one of a host of improvements in the Business District delivered by Colmore BID.

The BID is a passionate supporter of art in the District and partnered the ongoing Home of Metal Black Sabbath – 50 Years exhibition, the award-winning Phyllis Nicklin ‘Nicklin Unseen’ outdoor photography and the pioneering Thresholds project at Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, which used virtual reality headsets to celebrate Birmingham’s role in the early years of photography.

“Colmore BID is determined to improve the variety of public spaces in the District to enhance the area for visitors and workers to enjoy,” explained Mel Williams of Colmore BID.

“This is a fantastic opportunity to create something stunning for Birmingham’s street scene and to produce an artwork with impact that will be seen by thousands of people every week.

“We’re looking forward to seeing what Birmingham’s creative community can create and working with the chosen artist on a long-lasting, powerful piece of art.”

Jon Harris, integration and accessibility manager from West Midlands Railway, said: “We are proud to serve the people of Birmingham and we know vibrant artwork is always popular with our passengers. We are very pleased to work with the Colmore BID and look forward to seeing the innovative, creative ideas from our talented artists.

Artwork proposals should be emailed to mike.mounfield@colmorebid.co.uk or posted to Mike Mounfield, Colmore BID, 2nd Floor, 37a Waterloo Street, Birmingham B2 5TJ.

The deadline for submissions is September 20.

The chosen artwork will be selected by a panel of judges.