Designing Dialogue CiC is inviting artists and creative practitioners to apply for three paid commissions to develop new, original work in the London Borough of Barnet.
We are seeking practitioners interested in culture and community as forms of prevention — creative work that cultivates connection, agency, and wellbeing long before crises emerge, and that enables communities to shape healthier futures together. The commissions will support ambitious, socially engaged work that responds to Barnet as a place where culture plays a vital role in sustaining civic life.
About Designing Dialogue CiC
Designing Dialogue CiC is a social enterprise that uses creative practice to support meaningful conversations, civic engagement, and connection in everyday life. We work with artists, designers, and communities to explore how creative processes can strengthen relationships, build local capacity, and support collective wellbeing.
Our work is rooted in listening, collaboration, and care, with a strong focus on place-based practice. Find out more: https://designingdialogue.co.uk/
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1mh8m6owjaOk2KuXwDzr9v30HddCpSc65XaAzLKgOQYo/edit
Commission Theme: Barnet – Culture, Community & Prevention
All commissioned projects should respond to Barnet as a place that celebrates culture and community, exploring how creative practice can act as a preventative force by:
Cultivating connection and belonging
Supporting individual and collective agency
Nurturing wellbeing and mutual care
Creating conditions for dialogue before crisis points are reached
We are interested in work that sees culture not as a response to emergency, but as infrastructure for healthier, more connected futures, created with and alongside local people.
Interpretations of the theme are open, and artists are encouraged to bring their own perspectives, questions, and methods.
The Commissions
We aim to contract three projects for a total fee of £1600 in one in each of the following artforms:
Commission 1. Graphic Design
Graphic or visual communication practices that support dialogue, shared meaning, and collective voice. This might include publications, participatory design processes, visual identities, or public-facing materials rooted in place.
Commission 2. Audio & Visual
Sound, film, or mixed-media work that captures stories, conversations, and experiences of community life in Barnet, foregrounding listening, care, and representation. This may include, a new musical compositions, sound-based social practice, or collaborative music-making that builds connection and shared experience through participation or place-based listening.
Commission 3. Performance
Live, participatory, or durational performance that activates public or shared spaces, creating opportunities for connection, exchange, or collective presence.
Each commission will support the creation of new work rather than the presentation of existing projects.
Who We’re Looking For
Barnet-based artists, designers, and creative organisations
London-based practitioners with a strong history of working locally in Barnet
Individuals or small collectives working across the five artforms
Applicants should be able to demonstrate a track record of producing high-quality creative work, appropriate to their scale and context of practice.
We are particularly keen to hear from those who:
Work confidently with communities or public audiences
Bring care-led, participatory, or place-based approaches
Understand culture as a long-term investment in connection, agency, and wellbeing
Are interested in prevention through creativity — building relationships and resilience before crisis points
All proposals must have a local Barnet based partner. This will ensure that projects are engaging deepening in place, responding to local themes and issues. We are keen to receive applications from artists inside and outside of London but they must have a locally based partner.
What’s Offered
A paid commission fee (artform-appropriate; details shared with shortlisted artists)
Production support and mentoring from Designing Dialogue CiC
Opportunities to work closely with Barnet communities and partners
Public sharing of the work within Barnet
Access needs, pacing, and alternative approaches will be supported wherever possible.
Key Dates:
Deadline for applications: Tuesday 9th June
Outcome and notification of successful commission: Week commencing 29th June
Outputs to be delivered by 31st October
How to Apply
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1mh8m6owjaOk2KuXwDzr9v30HddCpSc65XaAzLKgOQYo/edit
Selection Process
Commissioned artists will be selected based on:
Artistic quality and clarity of approach
Engagement with the theme of culture, community, and prevention
Sensitivity to place and people
Feasibility and care within the proposed process
Shortlisted applicants may be invited to an informal conversation.
Questions & Access
If you’d like to discuss the opportunity, the theme, or access requirements before applying, please contact: hello@designingdialogue.co.uk
