The Horton Arts Centre Paid Commission: Panoramic Artworks on the History of Music Therapy

Overview

The Horton Arts Centre in Epsom is a Grade II listed former hospital chapel. Three deep window niches line its main corridor. We are commissioning an artist to fill two or three of them with panoramic artworks about the history of music therapy at Horton Hospital, the first programme of its kind in Europe, run by women, its early years shaped by refugees from Nazi Europe.

Who can apply

Open to artists, illustrators and designers based anywhere, at any career stage. No age or nationality restriction, and no requirement to have worked at this scale before. Design studios and pairs may apply, including a designer subcontracting an artist.

Media & requirements

Any medium that suits the brief: collage, printmaking, linocut, wood engraving, screenprint, photogravure, drawing, painting, photography, or cut work and low relief. The niches are boarded, so the work must sit as a panel rather than a heavy object. The artist must be available September to November. Artificial intelligence cannot be used to generate the artwork.

What you get

Three shortlisted artists are each paid £250 for a sketch. One of the three is then commissioned and paid £2,350 per artwork inclusive of expenses (£4,700 for two artworks, £7,050 for three), with up to £500 per artwork on top for production, mounting and installation, to a maximum of £1,500. The finished work is installed in a Grade II listed building that is free to enter, and stays there at least five years. There is a launch event in November. The artist is given the archive material and historical research behind the commission, which is led by King's College London.

Deadline

• 30 August 2026