The Blunden Prize 2025

About the Open Call

We’re calling for artists from all disciplines to put forward their ideas for an art installation at our Station Island scheme in Northamptonshire. Judges will be scoring entries against three criteria: Environment: - What is the wider impact of the materials used in the artworks; are they earth-friendly and resilient/hardwearing? - Similarly, what is the wider impact of the manufacturing/creative process to create and/or install the piece; is it emission intensive? - Where possible, artists should demonstrate how they will reduce the carbon footprint of their proposed work. This could include the use of local materials, ethical sourcing, manufacturing and transport. - The piece of art will remain in situ for the foreseeable and should require minimal maintenance investment. Meaningful design: - Does the piece act as a significant and exciting experience for those living within the community and those visiting the area? - Artists should show how their research has informed and localised their idea to produce a meaningful and relevant piece. - As the winning artist will be delivering multiple pieces, entries should include a brief overview of the artists approach to creating public art, indicating how they would propose working with Stonewater’s colleagues and communities to develop any future artworks. - Submitted designs should stimulate engagement with the community, artists will therefore need to consider how the final work will complement the scheme – whilst factoring in health and safety. Budget: - Each entry should outline estimated costs for the creation of the proposed piece. - For this brief, artists have the budget of £30,000 + VAT* and should include materials, fabrication, installation and logistics. - Competing artists will need to consider any planning implications from their proposal and, where appropriate, include any related costs in the budget. * The winning artist will be allocated a budget for each public art installation, which will vary depending on the size of the development. The Prize: The winner of Stonewater’s Blunden Prize 2025 will receive a cash prize of £20,000, which will be paid in instalments as outlined in the terms and conditions. The winner will also be commissioned to produce their piece for Station Island, which has an allocated budget of £30,000. The winner will also receive two further Stonewater commissions – to curate two additional pieces of public art for two sites in England. The location, budget and brief for these additional two commissions will be shared with the winning artist. Two runners up will receive a commission from Stonewater to curate a piece of public art for another site in England. The location and budget will be shared with each artist.

What is Offered

Cash prize of £20,000. Commission to produce a public art piece for Station Island with a budget of £30,000. Opportunity for two additional commissions from Stonewater. Runners-up also receive commissions for public art.

Requirements

Open to artists from all disciplines. Entries must be no longer than 10 A4 pages and submitted as a PDF. Proposals must consider environmental impact of materials and manufacturing, demonstrate meaningful design for community engagement, and include estimated costs within a £30,000 budget.

How to Apply

Entrants have creative freedom to lay out their entries as they see best, but it should be no longer than 10, A4 pages and should be submitted as a PDF. Refer to 'Rules and how to enter' for full details.