Part of “Can You Hear Us?” a major island-wide cultural programme taking place in Autumn 2026. Deadline to apply: 14th December 2025, midnight.

Creative Island and Isle of Wight National Landscape invite applications from artists for three new public art commissions that celebrate and respond to the Island’s National Landscape as part of “Can You Hear Us?” a major island-wide cultural programme taking place in Autumn 2026.

About ‘Isle of Wight National Landscape’:

The Isle of Wight National Landscape (formerly AONB) is an area that covers 50% of the Isle of Wight. Along with 45 other National Landscapes in the UK the designation ensures the conservation and enhancement of the landscape for the benefit of all.  The special qualities of the Landscape are many, contrasting and varied. Inspiration can be found in abundance, whether natural or built, the current inhabitants of the landscape: human, animal or plant, water courses and chines, dark skies, cultural traditions, our ancient ancestors or even the soils and layers of rock beneath us. 

The Isle of Wight is also recognised as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve - celebrating the balance of community and the environment. Commissioned artists can work with communities and groups in towns and villages across the island, creating new opportunities for people to explore, discover and be inspired by the Isle of Wight National Landscape.

About the project: “Can You Hear Us?” Celebrating all that the Island is.

Next Autumn, the Isle of Wight celebrates all that the island is with “Can You Hear Us?”, a six-week celebration of creativity and culture taking place across the Island. From spectacular performances in a Big Top town hall, to music, theatre, film, food, craft, nature connection and carnival, the programme will celebrate and amplify artists, schools, communities and over 20 partner organisations.

Our ambition is simple: to celebrate everything the Island is, to nurture creativity in every corner, and to make sure art and culture are part of daily life for everyone.

“Can You Hear Us?” is about pride, participation and possibility, shining a light on local voices while connecting the Island to the wider world. Six weeks of activities and events will take place from September 11th - October 24th 2026, across the whole of the Isle of Wight.

The Public Art Commissions: 

A total of three commissions will be awarded to artists that

• Showcase the Isle of Wight as a contemporary, ambitious, and progressive place
• Celebrate and explore the natural and built heritage of the Isle of Wight National Landscape
• Provide opportunities for young people to be actively involved in the commission
• Encourage communities to connect with the environment through the 5 Pathways to Nature Connection (senses, emotion, beauty, meaning, compassion)

Commission 1: Appuldurcombe House 

An artistic site-specific response to Appuldurcombe House and surrounding landscape. We are looking for ideas that sensitively explore, celebrate and uncover untold stories of the built and natural environment at Appuldurcombe. For more information about this site, please visit: Appuldurcombe House | English Heritage

• Commission amount: £16,000
• Shortlisted applicants will each receive £200 to develop their idea.
• All art forms will be considered. Installation and sculptural works are allowed.
• In the first instance artists are invited to submit an Expression of Interest which should include a short proposal considering the guidelines below.
• Proposals must also include at least one live event or public happening at the site, creating a one-off shared experience that animates the commission and invites audiences to engage directly
• Proposals must include a research and development phase in which artists will work alongside the conservation and landscape teams at English Heritage.
• Please note: no onsite facilities (e.g. toilets, power) are available, so proposals must account for this in their planning - a separate budget is available for this provision.

Site parameters for Appuldurcombe:

• Nothing may be inserted into the ground (e.g. structures must be secured using water weights).
• The flooring in the main room is original and must be fully protected.
• The flooring in the side room is not original and offers more flexibility.
• The roofless rooms within the building are the most suitable locations for installation or sculpture work.
• Nothing can be attached to the walls. 

Commissions 2. & 3: Locations TBD

Two further commissions will take place at sites within the Isle of Wight National Landscape, with a focus on the South/West of the Isle of Wight. Artists are invited to propose a site from a list of potential locations - for example, this could be held at the Needles New Battery / Rocket Launch Site, Brighstone Forest, St Catherine’s Oratory, Compton, and others).

• Due to access and security restrictions, these commissions cannot be permanent installations. Instead, proposals should take the form of live, temporary public happenings or time-based events.
• These should respond to the site’s environmental, historic, or social context while involving the public directly.
• Commission amount: £10,000 each.

Eligibility:

• Island-based artists as well as off-island artists may apply
• Artists working in any medium are eligible
• Collaborative applications are welcome
• All commissioned artists will be required to provide copies of their public liability insurance policy (up to £10 million) and employees liability insurance if applicable.

Budgets:

• Appuldurcombe House commission: £16,000 (Shortlisted applicants will each receive £200 to develop their idea)
• Other two commissions: £10,000 each
• Materials, production & installation costs, and fees must be included in the total commission amount and clearly broken down in proposals
• Additional budget available for live event production, management and accessibility.

Timeline:

• 31 October 2025 - Open Call launched
• 14 December 2025, midnight - Deadline for Applications
• W/C 15 December 2025 - Initial Shortlist
• 18 January – Appuldurcombe shortlisted artists submission deadline
• W/C 19 January 2026  - Young People’s Shortlisting Panel
• 26 January 2026 - Commissions Awarded
• February - March 2026 - work with conservation & landscape teams at sites
• April - June 2026 - R&D with Young People / Youth Groups
• 11th Sept-24th Oct 2026 - Public commissions installed & live events delivered

How to apply:

Please submit via CuratorSpace including:

• A one-page summary of your idea for this project (or a short video/audio proposal).
• An outline of which site your proposal responds to (Appuldurcombe or one of the South/West Wight options).
• A portfolio of previous work (images, weblinks, or audio-visual materials). Max 2 pages for uploaded documents.
• A short description of your practice and approach.
• If shortlisted for the Appuldurcombe commission, you will be asked to submit a video (5min max) which will be presented to the youth panel on your behalf.
  We welcome written, audio, or video applications. Video/audio responses should be no longer than 5 minutes. If you want to submit responses to any of the above via video or audio, please record your video / audio response, save it on YouTube/Vimeo/Google Drive/Dropbox, and then add the link to the video within the CuratorSpace form (in the space for the written response).  
  
  Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Monitoring
  Isle of Wight National Landscape and Creative Island are committed to ensuring everyone feels welcome. We recognise that some people face barriers in accessing the landscape, as documented in The Glover Report. We are working hard to redress the balance. By completing our Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Monitoring form, we can monitor how well we are doing and how much there is still left to do. Please complete the following EDI form before you submit your application.

(Images: 1 by Isle of Wight National Landscape. 2 & 3 by Maria Bell & Independent Arts)