Rosehill Arts Trust is thrilled to unveil an early-career opportunity to develop a new walkabout act for Whitehaven Weekender 2026.
We are looking for a creative walkabout act that will engage, excite, and engross our festival audiences. We are particularly interested in commissioning a walkabout with an emphasis on high visual impact. This opportunity will likely be attractive to movement artists, fashion designers, sculptors, mimes, circus artists, installation artists and the like.
The work will be part of a busy two-day festival programme, and as such, it should be designed to engage, enchant, or entertain passing audiences.
We are particularly interested in supporting new and emerging artists and will provide support and mentorship to the successful applicant.
We are happy to accept proposals which restage or build on existing or part-funded work, particularly if this commission will develop your artistic practice by helping you to realise a pre-existing idea.
We will accept applications from multiple artists, but please keep in mind that the commission fee is fixed.
The artist will receive an £800 inclusive fee for delivering this commission.
It is expected that this will include being present on both days of Whitehaven Weekender, on 29th - 30th August, between 10:00 – 15:00.
NB - at the graduate artist rate of £27.50 per hour, it is expected that the successful applicant would spend no more than 30 hours on this piece of work, including the 10 hours of delivery time.
Anything you develop with this fee remains your intellectual property.
Please provide a written proposal (1 side of A4 maximum) or a link to a video explaining or demonstrating your walkabout idea (5 minutes maximum).
Written or video proposals can be submitted alongside a visual portfolio in the form of a document and/or website/social media links if you feel it will help us to understand your practice/aesthetic ambitions for the walkabout better.
The deadline for proposals is 09:00, Monday 29th June 2026.
Interviews will take place on W/C Monday, 6th July 2026.
If you need help writing the application or have any access requirements, please contact us, and we will do everything we can to support you.
We are keen to hear from people who live in, or are from, West Cumbria, or who have a particular connection to the heritage and culture of the area. This is an opportunity for early-career creatives of any age, but we’re particularly interested in supporting those aged 18-40 years (40 is the new 30!) as we recognise the scarcity of opportunities for Cumbrian creatives in this age bracket.
Rosehill Arts Trust is a leading cultural organisation in West Cumbria, delivering a wide range of creative programmes, artist development initiatives and cross-sector partnerships. They are committed to making arts and culture accessible to all, while supporting the growth and sustainability of the region’s creative sector.
