Elizabeth Gaskell’s House: Large Scale External and Internal Light Show
Tender Opportunity – £58,000
The opportunity
Exciting things are happening in 2027 and we are now inviting tenders for the creation of two new, large scale, interactive light artworks (internal and external), to open at Elizabeth Gaskell’s House in March 2027.
This work will be commissioned and delivered in partnership with Elizabeth Gaskell’s House and Manchester City of Literature, as part of the celebration of its 10 year anniversary, with funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
Overview
This is an exciting opportunity for a new, site-specific light artwork of scale to be presented both inside Elizabeth Gaskell’s House (running from March – Oct 2027) and on the exterior of the building for a minimum of two nights in March 2027.
The exterior light show will take place over a minimum of two evenings, and will be followed by an interior lightworks that will be available to visitors from March– Oct 2027 when visiting the House on public open days (3 days a week)
The work should be bold, thought-provoking and meaningful, with a strong narrative. We also want it to be beautiful, engaging, and interactive; created through research, consultation and participation with visitors, volunteers, staff and stakeholders, including Manchester City of Literature.
The project will draw on a range of stories which include;
- Elizabeth Gaskell’s House itself and its unique history and journey from dereliction to delight.
- Elizabeth Gaskell’s own stories and life including exploring the themes of her novels, relationships with other writers and key themes that relate to a 21st Century audience
- Manchester as a UNESCO City of Literature – celebrating its 10-year anniversary in 2027.
This project is specifically focused on attracting non-traditional heritage visitors specifically families, visitors aged under 30 and local residents from the M13 and M14 postcode area.
We strive towards high-standards of accessibility for visitors with physical and non-physical disabilities, and we would like this to be considered as part of any proposals.
We anticipate the finished work will include projection, light and sound both inside and outside the House. As per our hands-on policy at the House we would also like work that visitors can directly engage and interact with where possible.
Background
This project will be the headline for an ambitious programme of events during 2027 that will seek to promote the House and Elizabeth Gaskell’s life and works during the 10-year anniversary of Manchester achieving a UNESCO City of Literature designation.
Elizabeth Gaskell’s House is a Grade II* listed Historic House and museum that has been open to the public since 2014 following funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund and other donors. It was saved from near dereliction by a group of volunteers and continues to have volunteers at the heart of the organisation.
The House is owned and operated by Manchester Historic Buildings Trust, a small independent charity led by a Board of trustees. The House has a small team of staff and a large team of volunteers.
The House receives no core funding and relies on income from admissions, secondary spend in the shop and Tea Room, events, hires and donations to cover core costs such as overheads and staffing.
The project is part of a wider funded project spanning two years that also covers infrastructure upgrades and business planning. There will be other smaller scale activities and events also taking place at the House during 2027, that will exist outside the scope of this project.
Commission outcomes
The work should be inspired by the history of the building, Elizabeth Gaskell’s works and life and celebrate Manchester as an UNESCO City of Literature.
It should be developed in conjunction with staff, visitor, volunteer and stakeholder feedback and input.
The work should act as a ‘lighthouse’ for local, national and regional visitors and for press and comms contacts.
The work inside the House should be interactive and responsive to the audience in some way. We want the audience to feel involved as well as spectating.
The work should represent how the heritage of the building and Elizabeth Gaskell’s life is still relevant today.
The final installations should be provocative, be a memorable experience with strong elements of interactivity.
Format
Light should be the core medium of expression within this commission. Where relevant we would welcome this intersecting with projection, sound, performative, and participatory work.
Practical considerations
Elizabeth Gaskell’s House is open to the public every Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday 11am-4.30pm and we also want to include access to the House after the external light shows.
The House has a small garden with limited parking and access throughout is step-free.
Elizabeth Gaskell’s House is a Grade II* listed building and is run by a very small team with lots of enthusiastic volunteers so care and consideration to the building and the people there is very important.
Power and Wi-Fi are available inside the House and to some extent within the garden.
We believe that we would be able to apply to close one of the roads adjacent to the House if needed for the safety of spectators for the exterior lightshow if required. Advice and guidance working with Highways and Manchester City Council to do this would be required.
Elizabeth Gaskell’s House has an environmental sustainability policy that applies to all freelancers and external suppliers. We would like you to explore low energy practices and equipment, and ensure there is a low carbon impact for this project. Where possible we would ask that travel for research and consultation to the House are done in a sustainable manner, making use of public transport if possible.
Management and contacts
The commission will be managed by the House Director, Sally Jastzrebski-Lloyd and Project Assistant Lauren Green, with support from a steering group of trustees, volunteers, staff and stakeholders including Manchester City Literature.
The appointed company will be expected to provide updates to the group as requested, and check-in regularly throughout the project.
Fees and Budgets
We have a total budget of £58,000 for this project with some additional contingency available if needed.
The budget of £58,000 should cover all management fees, equipment, travel and other costs relating to this project.
The project is being funded in full by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
Tender and selection
We are inviting artists to tender for this commission with reference to their understanding of the outcomes/audience, capability to deliver within the timescale, and availability to spend time at Elizabeth Gaskell’s House for research & development, and consultation,
Your tender documentation should include:
CV/portfolio (no more than 2 pages of A4) and/or weblink to relevant works and experience
A brief statement (1 side of A4) explaining your interest in the commission and how you might approach it together with cost breakdown where applicable.
OR
You can also submit a video or audio file in place of a statement, should that suit you better, of no more than 5 minutes in length.
Please express interest by email to sally@elizabethgaskellhouse.co.uk by 5pm on 20 July 2026.
If you have any questions about this tender opportunity, please email sally@elizabethgaskellhouse.co.uk
The procurement process
Tenders will be evaluated in accordance with National Lottery Heritage Fund procurement guidance, ensuring a transparent, fair and value-for-money process.
The contract will be awarded on the basis of the most economically advantageous tender, using the following weighting:
- Quality: 60%
- Price: 30%
- Sustainability 10%
Quality Assessment
Quality will be assessed against the following criteria, with each criterion weighted equally:
- Artistic and heritage interpretation
- Audience engagement and accessibility
- Technical delivery and safety
- Relevant experience and track record
- Project management and delivery
Price Assessment
Price will be evaluated using a proportional scoring method based on the lowest compliant tender.
Sustainability
Sustainability will be assessed against the following criteria, with both criterion weighted equally:
- Environmental sustainability
- Social and local economic value
Value for Money
The evaluation will consider overall value for money, balancing cost with quality and long-term impact.
A submission that is not the lowest priced may be selected where it demonstrates superior quality or outcomes. Full justification will be recorded.
This reflects the importance of delivering a high-quality heritage experience, audience engagement, and lasting public value.
A small number of respondents will then be invited for a short meeting online to discuss their concept proposal in further detail before a final decision will be made.
Appointment timescale:
Call for Expressions of Interest issued 22 June 2026
Submit expressions of interest by 20 July 2026
Invitation for an interview to be held the week of 10 August.
Appointment made by 21 August 2026
