Overview
Events and Activities
Volunteer
Community
Explore and Discover
Local Highlights
Previous Projects
Connecting Communities
Nature
Culture and heritage
Posted 4th November 2026
A creative artist(s) is required to create a stone river goddess sculpture to complement our existing Trisentona figure at Croxall Lakes Nature Reserve. The statue is to be made from Portland Stone and carved to a maximum height of 1.5m and maximum width of 1m, and be installed near the head of the Trent, south Biddulph.
This is part of partnership project, Trent Valley Past & Present, funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, which will encompass an exploration of the natural heritage, cultural heritage, and community engagement opportunities within the project area.
This landscape heritage project celebrates the River Trent and its tributaries, using storytelling as a central theme. The installation design should draw on local folklore, culture and heritage – bringing to life stories and mythology that have long connected people to this landscape.
Trisentona has three faces to represent the three rivers: Trent, Tame and Mease, at their confluence at Croxall Lakes. Each of the faces has the footprint of one of the three main monuments from the Catholme Ceremonial Complex represented on their forehead. A swan feather cloak represents the connection with tales of the swan maiden, stories so old they predate any language spoken today. On her breast is carved a bird’s eye view of the river system and the confluence at Croxall.
This Invitation to Quote is for a second river goddess sculpture, to complement Trisentona, which will be sited close to the source of the River Trent at the southern edge of Biddulph Moor. The sculpture will represent a younger version of the woman depicted in the main face of the Trisentona sculpture and make reference to her swan-feather cloak. It should reference its locality and local distinctiveness, maybe featuring trout representing the 18th century trout hatchery at Knypersley, or salmon as they would once have come far upstream to spawn. We would like the sculpture to feature the pattern of Julian’s Bower, a medieval turf labyrinth at Alkborough, Lincolnshire, above Trent Falls where the Rivers Trent and Ouse meet to form the Humber.
The successful artist(s) will work closely with the Community Connector to ensure the work aligns with the project’s specifications and objectives. We request that a site visit, and transportation of the statue to Knypersley Reservoir car park, is included in your quotation.
Full details can be found within the tender brief document below.
Deadline for quotes: 12pm Monday 23 November 2026
The contract will be awarded by Monday 7 December 2026.
Project initiation meeting: Week commencing 14 December 2026
Contract end date: 1st June 2027.
Questions and quotes can be sent to Susan Kneill-Boxley: s.kneill-boxley@staffs-wildlife.org.uk
Quote return date: 12:00am Monday 23rd November 2026
Tender document
Posted 14th April 2026
This is a part of partnership project, Trent Valley Past & Present, funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, which will encompass an exploration of the natural heritage, cultural heritage, and community engagement opportunities within the project area.
We are looking to work with a creative consultant to support us in the design and delivery of digital interpretation of a site in the Staffordshire Trent Valley. This Invitation to Quote is to deliver a digitally reconstructed view of the Catholme Ceremonial Complex, with a short film.
We are looking for an artistic interpretation of the brief below,
The successful consultant will deliver a short film reconstructing the Catholme Ceremonial Complex as it may have looked in the ancient past. We envisage this as a fly-through/over of the area showing it changing through time, as well as a first-person perspective walking though the monuments. The change through time could happen quite rapidly. Then each monument could be shown separately from first person viewpoint to talk about each monument in detail. The narrative will be written by the Senior Cultural Heritage Officer, who will also contract a voice artist for the project.
Deadline for queries: Close of business, Thursday 23 April
Deadline for quotes: Noon, Thursday 30 April
The contract will be awarded by Thursday 7 May.
Project initiation meeting: Week commencing 11 May
End of contract: 29 April 2027
The maximum budget available for this work is £10,000 exclusive of VAT. It is essential that your quotation does not exceed the total budget available. We welcome quotations that explore what can be offered based on the brief within the budget available.
Questions and quotes can be sent Dr Mark Knight: m.knight@staffs-wildlife.org.uk
Quote return date: 12:00pm Thursday 30th April 2026
Posted 8th April 2026
This is a part of partnership project, Trent Valley Past & Present, funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, which will encompass an exploration of the natural heritage, cultural heritage, and community engagement opportunities within the project area.
We are looking to work with a creative consultant with proven experience of engaging communities and community groups through art, and who has local knowledge of the people and places of Staffordshire. The project takes place in the Staffordshire Trent Valley with a key focus on Burton-upon-Trent, Stoke-on-Trent, and Stafford, however we are open to proposals that focus on one or all of these places.
We are looking for an artistic interpretation of the brief below, and are open to all artistic forms with a clear methodology and rationale. The narrative of the project is based around our local heritage and how it has formed and shaped the local landscape from prehistoric earthworks to post-industrial landscapes. The project team has been exploring riverscapes, archaeology, ritual landscapes, historic buildings, folklore / local stories and old tithe maps.
The successful applicant will work with a minimum of three community groups, with 30 to 50 individuals participating. Physical and / or digital artworks interpreting local heritage of Staffordshire Trent Valley will be produced. Output will be robust and transportable by car or small van – to be taken on an exhibition tour around the county – and constitute more than a poster display i.e. be tactile / interactive.
Deadline for quotes: Thursday 30 April 2026
The contract will be awarded by 14 May 2026.
Artwork completion date: 30 September 2026. Please note that the contract is up to the point of creation and does not include touring the exhibition.
Quote return date: 12:00am Thursday 30th April 2026
