Public Art Commission
We are inviting submissions from artists with significant experience of delivering public art through participatory practice with communities for a new sculpture in Kay Park, Kilmarnock.
As part of East Ayrshire’s Pride in Place Impact Fund allocation, East Ayrshire Council has identified an opportunity to commission a public artist as part of improvements to revitalise The Reformers' Monument in Kay Park, Kilmarnock. Celebrating a centenary of universal suffrage, it is proposed to introduce a new sculpture to the site.
The current monument commemorates parliamentary reform but lacks a clear representation of the role played by women in the broader struggle for democratic rights. This project aims to address this omission by replacing the former statue of Libertas with new work celebrating the centenary of universal suffrage and the Equal Franchise Act of 1928 which equalised the franchise and extended it to more women.
The role of the Public Artist is to work closely with the local community and key stakeholders to develop and deliver the new piece of public art.
Participatory community involvement, communication and engagement will be key elements of the project. The artist will work with local people to participate in the project, including school children at identified local primary schools, local history and architectural heritage groups and other key members of local communities.
The full commission fee is £120,000 and the project will take place from June 2026 to summer 2028. If shortlisted from initial submission, artist/s will receive a £350 development fee to progress their ideas to bring to interview.
For further information please see the full commission brief which includes timescales and submission information below.
For further information, please contact geraldine.greene@Ayrshire360.com
The deadline is Wednesday 29 April 2026 at 17:00
