COASTAL SCULPTURE TRAIL

OPEN CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS TO CREATE A SCULPTURE TRAIL

Creative Stranraer invites applications from artists or artist teams to lead the development and delivery of a new community‑created public art trail for Stranraer. This commission forms the next phase of an ongoing programme shaped with local residents, schools, and community partners, celebrating shared making, place‑based storytelling, and collective creativity. 

The trail will take inspiration from the modular building blocks featured in Stranraer’s new climbing wall, using these forms as the basis for a series of sculptural installations linking the town centre with selected community sites. 

Commission Summary 

We are seeking an artist who is skilled in collaborative making, community engagement, and public‑realm design to: 

• Design a repeatable sculptural element that will appear throughout the trail. 

• Work with local schools, community groups, and partner organisations to develop creative materials that will be incorporated into each sculptural form. 

• Support the integration of community‑produced outputs into the final artworks. 

• Contribute to a cohesive, imaginative, and site‑responsive trail that reflects Stranraer’s identity. 

A separate fabrication budget will cover the construction of the basic sculptural forms. The artist will not be responsible for building these structures but will design them and guide their creative adaptation. 

Who We’re Looking For 

We welcome applications from artists working in: 

• Sculpture 

• Participatory or socially engaged practice 

• Public art 

• Modular or systems‑based design 

• Outdoor installation 

You should be confident working with diverse groups, including rural and town‑centre Primary Schools, and partners such as the Climate Hub, and HomeStart. 

Project Structure & Timeline 

Stage 1 — Design Development 

• Create the concept and design package for 12 repeatable sculptural elements. 

• Ensure the design is adaptable for different classes and groups. 

Stage 2 — Community Creative Programme 

• Lead 2 artist‑run workshop programmes. 

• Contribute to 5 additional workshops delivered by local creatives (including 10 school‑based sessions). 

• Develop creative outputs with participants that will be incorporated into the sculptural forms. 

Stage 3 — Fabrication & Installation 

• Local community groups will construct the sculptural forms using the separate fabrication budget. 

• The artist will oversee the addition of completed workshop outputs to the forms. 

• Final installations will be placed along the designated trail route. The lead artist will be responsible for the delivery of 10 of completed elements on the trail, the other 2 will be completed by local creatives working with community groups 

Fee and Conditions 

A total fee of £7250 is offered to the successful artist(s) – this amount is inclusive of all fees and VAT. A materials/fabrication budget of £1500 is available for the lead artist to complete the adaption of their 10 elements within the trail. 

Artist Selection 

A shortlist of artist/artist teams will select from initial submissions for interview. One artist/team will then be selected to undertake the commission. 

Application Process 

Interested artists are encouraged to discuss the project with the commissioning team (see contact below) and thereafter submit as follows: 

• Submit your application 06.09.2026 and send to info@creativestranraer.com 

• A CV outlining your skills and experience  

• A letter outlining your interest, relevant experience and approach to the role.  

• Up to 5 examples of past work to support your application.  

• Send nothing that is bigger than 10MB 

• Interview date will be 09/09/2026 by applying for this role you are declaring yourself available for this date. 

We are open to communication from you in whatever form is comfortable and natural to you. If you have any questions about this, or anything else please do not hesitate to get in touch. 

It’s important that our people reflect and represent the diversity of the communities and audiences we serve. We welcome and value differences, so when we say we’re for everyone, we want everyone to be welcome in our teams too. Wherever you’re from, and whatever your background, we want to hear from you. 

Access Requirements 

If you have any access requirements at any stage of the selection process, please contact Jennifer at info@creativestranraer.com