Bethnal Green Nature Reserve (BGNR) invites artists, designers, writers, poets, illustrators, and creatives working across disciplines to apply for one of four micro-grants for billboard commissions to be presented throughout 2026.

These commissions will result in a series of large-scale billboard artworks installed within to the Nature Reserve, engaging a wide and diverse public audience in conversations around climate change and climate adaptation.

Commission Focus: Climate Change & Climate Adaptation

The 2026 billboard programme will focus specifically on climate change and climate adaptation. Only proposals that clearly, thoughtfully, and creatively engage with climate change will be considered.

Climate change can often feel overwhelming, abstract, or distant, which can lead to disengagement or avoidance. Through this programme, BGNR is seeking billboard artworks that reconnect people to climate conversations in experimental, accessible, and surprising ways. We are interested in projects that help make climate issues feel tangible, relational, and relevant to everyday life. Proposals may include artworks that:

• Offer creative, poetic, or speculative responses to ecological change
• Share practical or imaginative approaches to climate adaptation
• Highlight ecological interdependence, care, and resilience
• Address the social, political, and environmental impacts of climate change at a local or global scale

What We’re Looking For

Our 2026 billboard commissions aim to present artworks that explore climate change through multiple perspectives and lived experiences. We encourage proposals that engage audiences with climate challenges through agency, curiosity, care, and imagination, rather than fear or paralysis. We are particularly interested in works that:

• Invite audiences to step towards climate conversations rather than turn away
• Are visually striking and legible at a large scale
• Consider the billboard as a public, everyday site of encounter

Proposals could focus on (for reference only):

• Habitat building and ecological repair
• Community health and wellbeing
• Cultural, creative, or local knowledge practices
• Political debate, activism, or systems change
• Practical, neighbourhood-based or place-specific solutions

What Is Climate Change?

Climate change refers to long-term shifts in temperatures and weather patterns, primarily caused by human activity—especially the burning of fossil fuels. These changes impact ecosystems, public health, housing, food systems, biodiversity, and the everyday lives of communities.

Climate adaptation is the practice of responding to and preparing for the climate changes that are already happening and those that will continue into the future. Adaptation can take many forms, including:

• Practical changes to infrastructure, horticulture, and conservation
• Social, cultural, and community-based responses
• Ways of supporting both human and more-than-human life to thrive under changing conditions

What to Include in Your Application

To be considered for this commission, artists must submit the following materials. Incomplete applications may not be assessed.

1. Visual Proposal

A sketch or mock-up of the proposed billboard artwork, which may take the form of:

• A collage
• A drawing or painting
• A digital mock-up or design
• A photographic or mixed-media sketch

This does not need to be a final artwork, but it should clearly communicate the visual direction, composition, and tone of the proposed billboard.

2. Written Description of the Concept (max. 250 words)

A short-written statement outlining:

• The core idea behind the proposed artwork
• How the proposal engages with climate change and/or climate adaptation
• The questions, ideas, or conversations you hope the work will prompt

This section should clearly demonstrate how climate change is central to the proposal.

3. Artist Bio

A short artist biography (maximum 250 words), including:

• Your creative practice and interests
• Any relevant experience with public-facing, socially engaged, or environmental work

4. Examples of Past Work

Up to five examples of relevant past work, which may include:

• Images (with titles, dates, and brief descriptions)
• Links to online portfolios or projects
• Documentation of public artworks, graphic work, or research-led practices

Past work does not need to be billboard-based, but should demonstrate relevant visual, conceptual, or thematic experience.

Practical Information

Fee

• £600 artist fee
• £400 production budget, allocated as: £350 billboard printing, £50 billboard installation labour

Schedule

Each selected artwork will be displayed for a three-month period:

• April – June 2026
• July – September 2026
• October – December 2026
• January – March 2027

Artworks must be supplied in advance of the commissioning year to allow for technical preparation and promotional planning. Please clearly indicate in your proposal if the work is season-dependent (e.g. spring, summer, autumn, winter).

Billboard Technical Specifications

48-sheet artwork setup size:

• Width: 609.6 mm
• Height: 304.8 mm
• Resolution: 400 DPI
• Colour mode: CMYK

Print size: 6096 × 3048 mm

Safe area: 5796 × 2748 mm (magenta keyline)

Final artworks must be supplied as high-resolution PDF files.

Payment & Support

Payment

• Payments are made by invoice within one week of the 28th of each month. Late invoices will be processed the following month
• Advance payment for materials can be arranged where necessary

BGNR Support Includes

• Promotion via local posters, social media, WhatsApp groups, and the BGNR website
• Public and employer liability insurance
• Technical support with printing, installation, and upkeep of the billboard

Timeline

• Deadline for proposals: Midnight, 25 February 2026
• Review period: 26 February – 9 March 2026
• Notification of selection: 10 March 2026

How to Apply

Attached is a single compressed PDF that includes an artwork mock-up, a 250-word biography, a 250-word artist statement, and a portfolio of selected past works to info@bethnalgreennaturereserve.org