Applications open for creative commission combining cycling and culture in the National Forest

The project can be delivered through any artform, potentially incorporating performance, sound, visual arts, creative writing or any other discipline that you would use to creatively activate the landscape through pedalling!  

The chosen initiative should help to highlight the wellbeing benefits of being active outdoors, whilst demonstrating how creativity can offer new perspectives and experiences to be explored within the landscape. 

The Culture & Cycling Commission is part of the Caroline Scothern Awards, celebrating the life and memory of Caroline who championed outdoor learning in the National Forest with passion, creativity and care. This will be the second commission awarded, taking inspiration from Caroline’s love of cycling and the outdoors.  

Aims of the commission are to –  

• Celebrate nature and the outdoors through creativity and cycling.  

• Provide opportunities that demonstrate the benefits that cycling can have on our physical and mental wellbeing.  

• Bring people together to connect with each other and the natural world.  

• Showcase the opportunities for cycling across the Heart of the Forest.  

Criteria -  

• This opportunity is open to Midlands based artists and creative practitioners.  

• Applicants should be able to demonstrate how they would take a sustainable, low carbon approach to the commission and will be asked to record carbon data connected with the project. 

• Proposals should consider accessibility throughout and demonstrate ways of ensuring that activity is as inclusive as possible.  

Further details  

Up to £5000 is available for the commission, to include all fees, materials, production costs and travel.  

The commissioned project should be delivered between January – October 2026 (end date flexible and can be earlier). The deadline for applications is 5pm Thursday 11 December 2025. 

An Artists Brief and Application Form are available to download below. Please also complete the Diversity Monitoring Form and send to monitoring@nationalforest.org. 

For any further information about this opportunity please contact: 

Jo Maker, Arts & Creativity Manager, National Forest Company  

jmaker@nationalforest.org / 07816 213225