Michael McManus: private commissions
Painter Michael McManus writes about his experiences undertaking his first private commissions. Michael was awarded the LIFEBOAT residency 2012 During the course of the lifeboat residency I developed …
Billy Lloyd: 4 years of practice
Potter Billy Lloyd explains how he gained awards and commissions soon after his apprenticeship. Billy also talks about how he uses barter and exchanges to make his money go further and how online reso …
Briefs and contracts for public art commissions
A commission will lead to a contract for you, as an artist, to create something to a specified brief. That brief is set by the commissioner and can be very loose or very specific. While this article d …
Importance of contracts in commissions
When working on projects for public spaces which can involve so many partnerships, contracts are vital, for you and for the commissioner. A contract is what both the artist and the commissioner agree …
Types of commission
This article introduces the different things an artist may be commissioned for and the sort of things a practitioner might need to consider before taking one on. A ‘commission’ can cover a range of op …
Public art commissions: expressions of interest
The first stage of a commission is when a commissioner approaches an artist for ‘An expression of interest’. What is an ‘expression of interest’ and how do I respond? This is just what it says. A com …
Working relationships in public art commissions
Learn how to develop a relationship with your commissioner so that you each get what you need out of the commission. For the artist It is your responsibility to deliver something of quality that is t …
Gallery education
One of the many ways that artists can earn a living is working in a gallery education programme. Gallery education programmes mostly – but not exclusively – run in publicly funded spaces and are a way …
Legal articles: commissioning
The Artlaw archive of legal articles contains useful information for artists who have been offered or are interested in obtaining commissions, including: Commissioning an Artist, including an overview …
After a public art commission
After your project is finished, it isn’t always a case of walking away. It is important to write into your project plan what happens after your commission and contract has finished. How will the physi …