Street Art Phase 2!

The project forms part of the Rediscovering the Underbanks initiative, an exciting Townscape Heritage project that aims to bring buildings back into life.

We are looking to appoint experienced street artists (either a collective, organisation or individual artists) to manage the production and delivery of art installations in Stockport Town Centre to form Phase 2 of a Street Art Trail – this will follow on from Phase 1, which was completed in 2022. We are looking for artists who can deliver exemplary creativity and vision in the design, delivery and legacy planning of a Street Art Trail across Stockport Town Centre. We would like to hear from those who have experience of working on high-quality, unique and place-specific art installations, but we also welcome bids from local and emerging artists who can demonstrate their suitability.

Phase 2 will include a total of 4 sites, including 3 sites in the Underbanks conservation area in Stockport Old Town, and 1 site in Merseyway/Princess Street. These art installations should have a strong focus on storytelling and linkages to the history of the area. Varying in location, size and surface material, the street installations may feature anything from large scale murals to smaller interventions. We are also committed to ensuring that this project is driven by the voices of as diverse a spectrum of artistic styles and lived experience as possible, including a cross-genre range of street art and mural styles.

The total secured budget from Totally Stockport and Stockport Council for Phase 2 of the programme is a maximum of £14,000. We would like to see proposals that include clearly marked fees for all work including delivery and maintenance. Artists may tender for as many of these four sites as they see fit. Restrictions permitting, the artworks will be installed during Autumn 2023. All murals must include an anti-graffiti / anti-fade varnish.

3. Jimi Hendrix mural by Otto Schade, located on the site of the former caretakers flat at Merseyway. Otto Schade is a world-renowned street artist, known for his trademark ribbon style. His eclectic works decorate the walls of some iconic cities worldwide – including Berlin, Amsterdam, Barcelona and New York. Otto’s installation will focus on the Underbanks’ musical past and pay homage to Jimi Hendrix, who played at the Sinking Ship Club located on Royal Oak Yard in 1967.

4. ‘Underbanks’ mural by Qubek, opposite the Cracked Actor. This piece includes fish and flowers to signify the Tin Brook that runs below, as well as other objects synonymous with the Underbanks area. The vibrant design features fauna and flora at its heart will add a much-needed sense of the natural world to the built-up environment. Qubek is a local street artist based in Manchester, who spent his formative years living in Stockport. He has been active in Manchester for over 18 years, working on a number of large-scale murals including some of the city’s best loved artworks such as ’22 Bees’ which commemorates those who lost their lives in the Manchester Arena attack.

Go check out the murals in the Underbanks and let us know what you think!