Winter Windows Commission

Closing date:

14-Sep-2026 00:00

Job description

We’re looking for a Sheffield-based artist to design and decorate our windows for Autumn and Winter! Our new space has large, high street facing windows which get a lot of passing footfall.

For the 2026 Spring/Summer season, our windows were designed by artist Samantha Groom, featuring a beautiful, colourful printed nature scene made of paper and cardboard, in her signature style, plus window illustrations by Helen Drake.

For Autumn/Winter we’re looking for something that can carry us through from late September 2026 to February 2027. Something seasonal, rather than festive, that will be interesting for passers by and brighten up the high street. You might want to lean into the seasonal theme, or you might want to celebrate community through your design in a broader way. Your artwork will be seen by thousands of people who use Hillsborough’s shops, park and stadium.

The commission is £500, inclusive of fee, installation and materials.

Practical information:

• There are two windows, and they are each approximately 170cm wide x 200cm long
• Your design should connect in some way across both windows, rather than two separate designs
• Your design should still let some light in. It could frame the window, or it could fill the window but with space around the design elements
• You can use any medium that can be hung, displayed or painted temporarily and then easily removed and returned to normal after the 5 month period. For example this could include: paper, cardboard, window paint or chalk, textile, or something else
• We would prefer materials used to be reclaimed, reused, and/or recyclable where possible. We may be able to help with this through a partnership with Scrapdragon.
• Please do not use generative AI at any stage of the design process, we will not accept submissions that have
• Please note that the sun shines directly onto these windows in the late afternoon, so please avoid anything that can melt with direct sun exposure, or that is likely to come unstuck in high heat
• The back of the artwork will be seen by people using our space so it should be tidy, for example if using cardboard, painting the back of it a plain matching colour
• We’ll do our best to look after and maintain the artwork while it’s with us, but may need to get in touch with the artist very occasionally if significant maintenance or touch ups are required

To apply, please send an email to recruitment@rivelinco.org with the subject line ‘2026 Windows Commission’ and the following information:

• Your name and contact details
• An example/s of previous work and/or your art style (you don’t need to make something new for this – it could be an artist CV or a link to a digital portfolio or project website for example)
• Up to 5 sentences about what you want to do, including what materials you want to use and how you’ll source them
• A rough sketch/collage/impression of your proposed design. Please don’t spend too much time on this, it doesn’t need to be perfect or even fully finished: it’s just an initial rough idea to help us understand visually what you’re describing. If helpful, you can include colours/textures/references by labelling your sketch. Please do not use generative AI.

If you prefer you can provide the same information using video/audio instead of text, please include a link or attachment in the email.