New public art competition for Unilever Campus

Cube Real Estate launched a competition to select works of art for Unilever’s new Global and UK HQ (Unilever Campus) in Kingston upon Thames. The competition will look for public art proposals that will enhance this major new development with its mix of retail, office, residential and public spaces.

The competition is open to emerging and established artists and winner(s) will be announced in September 2023.

Three potential sites:

• A series of four panels on the ground floor brickwork of St James’ Road Carpark façade
• The corner of St James Road and Eden Street.
• The central garden courtyard

One or more artists may be selected, dependent upon the proposals received for the different locations. To encourage applications from new and emerging artists, previous experience of similar public commissions is not required and emerging artists can ask for assistance to support them in developing their proposal.

The final artwork will be reflective of or inspired by the communities, heritage or future of Kingston Upon Thames either in their concept, material or execution. Relevance and suitability of the artist’s work in relation to the town centre and proximity to the riverside and the Ancient Market Place will also be considered.

The winning artist will be selected by a panel drawn from local artists, stakeholders, Unilever and the development team.

To apply to please visit unilevercampus.co.uk. Expressions of interest to be provided by 15 July 2023, including no more than 10 images of previous artworks and a brief Biography/CV and website links and/or social profile/s, if available.

Following a review of the expressions of interest, three to six shortlisted artists will be invited to develop specific proposals for the site.

Cllr Roger Hayes, Portfolio Holder for Planning Policy and Regulatory Services & Co-Chair – Place Committee, said:

“This is a great opportunity for both emerging and experienced artists to contribute to this exciting new part of Kingston town centre. Public art is vital to bringing new spaces to life, helping tie new buildings and spaces into the heritage and community of the town and I look forward to seeing all the ideas that come forward.”

Jonathan Lawes, Director of Cube Real Estate, said:

“We are really pleased that we have reached this point in the project and can start to commission creative art for public spaces. All the way through the process we have looked to create designs and spaces that contribute and enhance Kingston and this marks the latest phase of this work. We hope as many people as possible will apply for this opportunity so we can have the broadest range of entries to choose from, ensuring we can create something that is true to the identity of the town.”

Richard Sharp, Head of Unilever UK, said:

“It is really exciting to be opening this competition and to see what ideas come forward. These spaces are for the public as well as the 2,000 people who will be coming to work at our new offices, so having art that celebrates the new spaces and Kingston is very important to us. At Unilever, we have a clear focus on developing talent, upskilling the next generation and providing opportunities for growth; opening this competition to everyone is reflective of our values and we hope many new and emerging artists will apply for this fantastic opportunity.”