Call for Artists

This is a vibrant drawing competition open to all artists and residents of Newcastle and Gateshead. We invite you to explore the stories of kittiwakes in our cities (you can feel free to include other urban birds and/or wild birds). It’s a wonderful opportunity to showcase your artistic talent and creative vision, celebrating the unique architecture, biodiversity, urban spaces + landscape and rich heritage of our cities.

Theme

Create artworks that capture the presence of kittiwakes in our urban environment and highlight their diverse range of stories. Let your work be a true celebration of the symbiotic relationship between wildlife and our urban environment.

Submission Details

We encourage participants to produce two spreads, with each spread not exceeding A2 in size (594mm*420mm)

  1. One Spread: Document how kittiwakes are nested and interact with urban spaces in Newcastle and Gateshead.
  2. One Spread: Share your imaginative ideas for how the urban environment can be adapted or transformed to support better urban ecology, creating harmonious spaces and settings for Tyne kittiwakes.

Through this competition, we aim to:

  • Provide a platform for exchanging reflections and ideas about urban ecology and wildlife conservation.
  • Open a dialogue about the future of urban living, starting with small, meaningful steps toward positive change.
  • Showcase the artistic talent in Newcastle and Gateshead while fostering creative connections within the community.

Why Participate?

Your participation could inspire others to think differently about urban life and take steps toward building a better future for all. By creatively exploring the story of the kittiwakes and imagining new possibilities, you contribute to a conversation about sustainable living with wildlife.

How to Enter

  • Create your submission based on the guidelines above.
  • Include a brief written description (200 words) explaining your artwork and ideas.
  • Submit your work by 01 Dec 2025 (11:59 BST).

Judging Criteria

Submissions will be judged based on:

  • Creativity and originality
  • Connection to the theme of kittiwakes and urban ecology
  • Artistic skill and visual impact
  • Innovative ideas for urban adaptation

Prizes and Exhibition

Selected artworks will be displayed in a public exhibition, celebrating the creativity and vision of our local community. Winners will receive exciting prizes and the opportunity to showcase their work to a wider audience.

Important Dates:

  • Upload your artwork before 01 Dec 25.
  • Finalists selected and contacted via email by 01 Feb 26. You will be asked to provide us with your original artwork to be featured in the finalists exhibition.
  • Results announcement: winners will be notified by email, and results will be announced on this website and social media of our partners.
  • The artworks of the finalists will be put on display in an exhibition for this project in 2026.

Artwork Specifications:

  • Must be original works relevant to the theme of the competition – kittiwakes and cityscape and submitted by participants on an individual basis.
  • All visual 2D art mediums are welcome, such as painting, drawing, collage, mixed media, printmaking and digital art, but they need to follow the submission details.
  • Entrants are required to submit up to three entries,  accompanied by a short description of themselves and their submission (maximum 200 words). The images should be jpeg or png files of good quality and medium to high resolution. We recommend between 960 and about 3000 pixels width. As a guideline file sizes will probably be up to about 50Mb.
  • No entry fee.

Call for Designers, Architects, Architectural Students

This competition invites architects, designers, and creative thinkers to envision an architectural project that integrates with the dynamic urban landscapes of Newcastle and Gateshead. The challenge is to design a sustainable and functional ‘Kittiwake Hotel’ that provides a safe space for kittiwakes while enhancing the ecological, aesthetic, and environmental value of the cities.

Brief

Focus on enhancing the kittiwakes’ experience by fostering their connection to nature and water (River Tyne). Design a natural, sustainable structure that seamlessly integrates with urban elements such as the Tyne Bridge, lampposts, building façades, rooftops, and more.

Submission Details

We encourage participants to produce 1 A1 Sheet (841mm*594mm). 

A scaled physical model is encouraged as part of the submission, but it is not mandatory. If you have created one, you can submit it to the Sutherland Building (Architecture Department) by contacting the team (Dr. Jiayi Jin – jiayi.jin@northumbria.ac.uk). Alternatively, you may include photos of the model with your A1 design submission.

Through this competition, we aim to:

  • Encourage the design of sustainable and functional spaces for kittiwakes that blend seamlessly with the urban environment.
  • Foster creative solutions that enhance the ecological, aesthetic, and environmental value of Newcastle and Gateshead.
  • Inspire innovative designs and creative responses to urban biodiversity challenges and promote ecological awareness with architecture.

Why Participate?

Your architectural solution should enhance both the ecological and aesthetic value of urban spaces, enriching the environment for all inhabitants. It should foster harmonious coexistence between humans and kittiwakes, while contributing to the overall beauty and sustainability of the cities.

How to Enter

  • Create your submission based on the guidelines above.
  • Include a brief written description (200 words) explaining your architectural ideas.
  • Submit your work by 01 Nov 2025 (11:59 BST).

Judging Criteria

Submissions will be judged based on:

  • Sustainability & functionality
  • Integration with the urban landscape
  • Ecological and aesthetic impact
  • Forward-thinking architectural solutions

Prizes and Exhibition

Selected projects will be displayed in a public exhibition like the art one.

Important Dates:

  • Upload your panel before 01 Nov 25
  • If you have physical model(s), please also submit them by 01 Nov 25.
  • Finalists selected and contacted via email by 01 Feb 26. 
  • Results announcement: winners will be notified by email, and results will be announced on this website and social media of our partners.
  • Together with the art call, the finalists of this architecture competition will be put on display in the project exhibition in 2026.

Architecture Submission Guidelines:

  • Submissions must be original and relevant to the competition theme: Kittiwakes and Urban Landscape. Entries should be made individually.
  • The submission should take into account the specific living patterns of black-legged kittiwakes, rather than adopting a generalised approach to bird species.
  • Palarisigm is not accepted; precedents may be included but must be clearly referenced on the board.
  • Both digital and physical drawing methods are accepted, and valued equally.
  • Entrants are required to submit one A1 board only, accompanied by a short description of themselves and their submission (maximum 200 words). 
  • The images should be jpeg or png files of good quality and medium to high resolution. We recommend between 960 and about 3000 pixels in width. As a guideline file sizes will probably be up to about 50Mb.
  • No entry fee.

Terms & Conditions

  • All entries must be original, and submitted on an individual basis. An entry will be disqualified if the participant is considered by the Organiser to have committed plagiarism, infringement of copyrights and/or violation of any laws.
  • Any entries that the Organiser considers, in its sole and absolute discretion, to contain material that is dangerous, vulgar, offensive, indecent, obscene, illegal, racist, pornographic, violent, defamatory, disparaging, inappropriate, controversial or that promotes political interests will be disqualified.
  • Entry into the competition is at the participant’s sole risk. The Organiser does not accept any responsibility for any damage, loss, liabilities, costs, expenses or claims suffered by participants or any third parties arising out of or in connection with the competition and/or accepting a prize.
  • No entry fee is required.
  • The results of the competition are subject to the final decision of the panel of judges. No objections by participants will be entertained.
  • The result of the competition will be announced by 01 Feb 2026 and the Organiser will notify the winners by email via the email address provided by the participant at the point of entry. Participants must provide a valid email address as this is the sole channel for the Organiser to contact the participants. Participants should check their email inbox (including the junk and spam mail folders).
  • The Organiser and their affiliates reserve the right to copy, publicise, reproduce or make use of the submitted works in full or in part, including and limited to promotion, publicity, marketing, exhibition, and education purposes, without the consent of the participants or payment of fees of any kind, otherwise copyright remains with the artist.
  • Participants agree that their works may be put on display in an exhibition for public viewing, together with their names and the short description provided without any fee being payable. Participants also agree to be photographed for marketing purposes.
  • The Organiser reserves the right to interpret and amend the rules, and the Terms and Conditions of the competition, without prior notice.
  • Upon submission of entries, participants agree to abide by the Terms and Conditions of the competition.
  • All information collected by the Organiser is for the purpose of the competition only, including but not limited to, contacting participants and distributing prizes.
  • The Organiser accepts no responsibility for system errors or other issues that may result in disruption to, delay or failure in receiving entries and/or sending notifications or prizes to winners.
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