RiverLight 2025 celebrates Sleaford’s beautiful spaces and places, and the creativity of the local community. Festival Fringe activities begin on Sat 14 Jun and run through to Fri 20 Jun, with the Festival Finale taking place on the Summer Solstice - Sat 21 Jun 2025. The festival also runs alongside the North Kesteven Walking Festival.

What we are looking for:

• Proposals for creative workshops, artist installations, community experiences and performances as well as walking events as part of NK Walking Festival.

• All events must be free to attend, unless otherwise agreed.

• All events and experiences must have a risk assessment and be covered by public liability insurance. This will be discussed with you if you’re proposal is programmed for the festival.

• Please ensure you have the time and experience to deliver all aspects of your event/activity, as the festival team has limited time this year to oversee community events.

Indicative budget £1,000 - £1,500 inclusive of all fees, costs and materials. We are looking to make 2 or 3 awards.

Proposals should:

• be led by experienced visual artists and makers
• be high impact, visually exciting and colourful
• link to the festival themes where possible
• include workshop opportunities with the public and local groups in making of artworks. If you don’t have a target group in mind, the Hub can provide help in identifying appropriate groups and venues for workshops
• be sited in outdoor festival locations including Eastgate Green, Bristol Arcade, Riverside Centre, Southgate, Market Place
• be environmentally friendly
• be inclusive and accessible
• include plans for installing/deinstalling artworks ensuring safety of the public, buildings and fixtures/fittings.

Indicative budget £300 - £500 inclusive of fees and costs. We are looking to make 3 or 4 awards.

Proposals should:

• link to this year’s festival theme where possible
• take place during the festival dates
• be environmentally friendly
• be inclusive and accessible to all ages
• include details for power supply if needed and any equipment you’re providing.

We can programme any number of these events. Schools can let us know if they have groups that would like to perform within the programme.

Proposals should:

• link to this year’s festival theme where possible
• take place during the festival dates
• be environmentally friendly
• be inclusive and accessible to all ages
• include details for power supply if needed and any equipment you’re providing.

Budgets to be confirmed through discussion with applicants. Schools can also let us know if they have music groups / choirs they would like to perform during the programme. This includes larger and smaller events, both solo and group performances, and we are also looking to confirm musicians for the parade.

Proposals should:

• take place during the festival dates.
• be environmentally friendly.
• be inclusive and accessible to all ages
• include details for power supply if needed and any equipment you’re providing.
• link to this year’s festival theme where possible - if making a proposal for the parade, this is essential.

Submission process:

We are hosting a public meeting on Mon 27 Jan 2025, from 5 - 6.30pm at the Hub in Sleaford. We will provide an overview of festival plans to date and we will be on hand to answer questions and discuss your ideas. Please also feel free to contact us by email if you have any urgent questions beforehand.

To submit your proposal - please ensure you have read these guidelines carefully, and then complete the form HERE

To support your proposal please:

1. email a maximum of 5 examples of your previous work (sound links, PDF or image files) to jo@hub-sleaford.org.uk. We Transfer or other shared links can also be accepted. This is essential for artists and creatives, but may not be needed for all projects - please just ask us if you aren’t sure.
   
2. Please ensure you put your name and RiverLight 2025 Proposal in the email subject line, and include your name on all of your files.
3. We expect that all costs relating to the delivery of the engagement programme and artwork creations are detailed in your proposal. Please specify if any other funding or costs are being covered by you or other partners, and tell us how much you need from the RiverLight budget for your proposal.

Where more proposals are received than funding can support, we will support the highest quality proposals that are:

• the best fit for the festival themes
• of most benefit to the local community - especially those who have not been involved in RiverLight before
• inspiring and joyful
• sustainable and ethical
• from Lincolnshire-based partners and artists
• offer good value for money.

DEADLINE: Monday 3 February 2025

If you need any further support or have any questions, please email lucy@hub-sleaford.org.uk or jo@hub-sleaford.org.uk Proposals can be submitted at any time up to the deadline, but those received after the deadline will not be considered.