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The British Textile Biennial and The Harris are seeking proposals for a new interactive artwork incorporating textiles for a major survey exhibition.
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Get matched →BTB will mark ten years of commissioning with a major survey exhibition at The Harris, Preston in 2027. British Textile Biennial and The Harris are seeking to co-commission a new interactive artwork incorporating textiles for audiences of all ages, creating a playful and participatory way into the ideas explored throughout the exhibition. We are looking for an artist, designer or collective to develop an ambitious interactive work of scale that responds to the themes and ideas running through ten years of British Textile Biennial. The commission must incorporate textiles, but its form and approach are open. The work might be sculptural, spatial, sensory, digital and/or immersive, or bring together several of these approaches. It could invite visitors to play, explore, assemble, manipulate or contribute; evolve through participation over the course of the exhibition; or propose an entirely different form of interaction.
Across its programme, BTB has used textiles as a way of exploring wider questions about people, place and the world around us – from global connections, labour and making to fashion and consumption, migration, sustainability, traditional knowledge, technological innovation and our changing relationships with materials. We are interested in how these ideas might be encountered differently through participation. We are particularly interested in proposals that encourage open-ended play, experimentation and participation, create an engaging experience for audiences across generations, and consider accessibility as an integral part of the work.
The commission will occupy a dedicated space in the central room of the exhibition, measuring 3 m × 6.6 m, with two walls available for hanging work to a height of 4.1 m. Proposals should be developed with this space in mind, considering how visitors will enter, move through and interact with the work. As the commission is intended for regular interaction, proposals should consider how the work will remain safe, accessible and engaging throughout the exhibition. Depending on its form, this may include durability, technical support, maintenance or the replacement and replenishment of materials. We also welcome ideas for how the commission might have a meaningful life beyond the exhibition.
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We welcome applications from individual artists, designers and makers, as well as collaborative practices and collectives. Applicants do not need to identify as textile artists. We welcome artists and creatives working across disciplines who can incorporate textiles imaginatively into their response. We are particularly interested in practitioners with experience of creating participatory, interactive or public-facing work and engaging a broad range of audiences. Previous experience of delivering a commission at this scale is useful but not essential. We are equally interested in strong ideas from practitioners whose previous work demonstrates the potential to develop the commission successfully with support from the BTB and Harris teams.