Lincoln Arts Centre announces an exciting opportunity for artists to respond to the powerful theme of freedom as part of Our Freedom: Then and Now, a national campaign led by Future Arts Centres. The Centre is inviting proposals from experienced artists to create a public artwork or performance, inspired by community reflections and the International Bomber Command Centre’s (IBCC) digital archive. This commission forms part of a programme of creative events marking the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War.

The final artwork will be delivered before the end of November 2025 and is expected to engage at least 5,000 people. Lincoln Arts Centre is especially interested in proposals that are bold, participatory, and reflect the line from Poet Laureate Simon Armitage’s commissioned poem Freedom Road: “Come as you are.”

“This is a unique opportunity for artists to create something ambitious and deeply resonant,” said Simon Hollingworth, Project Manager at Lincoln Arts Centre. “This isn’t just about history. It’s about how freedom is lived, imagined, and remembered – right now, in our city. We’ve had a fantastic time working with communities to design this brief over several workshops and outreach sessions and we’re looking forward to selecting the artist.” 

The selected artist will work with curated community materials, insights from youth and RAF groups, and direct access to the IBCC Digital Archive, which includes letters, diaries, and photographs from those who lived through the war. Alongside creating a public artwork or performance, the artist will contribute to national photography exhibitions and evaluation activities, with support from Open Eye Gallery and Lincoln Arts Centre.

This commission is part of one of 60 community-led commissions taking place across the UK as part of Our Freedom: Then and Now, supported by Arts Council England. The project aims to spark citywide conversation, reimagine wartime stories through contemporary lenses, and celebrate the ongoing fight for freedom in all its forms.

Applications close at 5PM on Thursday 31 July 2025.

Read the full guidance, visit: Freedom Road

To apply or find out more, visit: https://forms.office.com/e/jbVZ7SMnv2