Artists, designers, fabricators and creative teams are being invited to help shape the new Caerlee Mill Bike Campus in Innerleithen.  

We are seeking bids to design and create two new and very different artworks which will be installed at the Campus, which will be operated by Bike Innovation Scotland.

The Caerlee Mill Bike Campus and Trail Lab is supported by the Borderlands Inclusive Growth Deal, through £15.5million of UK Government investment.

First artwork – external metal fretwork or similar artwork

The first artwork will be a permanent external metal fretwork heritage inspired design, to be installed on the gable end of the retained engine shed from the original Caerlee Mill.

The artwork will celebrate the former mill’s textile, manufacturing and working heritage, as well as the people and stories associated with the site.

The artist will take inspiration from the local community and their own research into the site.

The successful bid may also acknowledge the running theme of innovation on the site from historic industrial innovation to future bike innovation, enterprise and community benefit.

A total of £800 will be provided to each shortlisted applicant to develop their proposal for the external space artwork, to reflect the research and design time needed.

The expected budget for the final installation is  £10,000.

To request the full brief for this artwork commission, please use the contact form below. 

Second artwork – internal event space mural

The second artwork will be a bold internal mural on one wall of the new events space in the Campus building.

It will focus on the area’s landscape, forests, mountain biking culture and community identity, creating a vivid and iconic artwork that reflects what makes biking in the area distinctive.

It is expected to be paint based and created and applied in situ but any appropriate medium will be considered.

Each shortlisted applicant for the event space mural artwork will be provided with £350 to develop their proposal, to reflect the design time needed.

The expected budget for the final installation is £3,500.

To request the full brief for this artwork commission, please use the contact form below. 

Timeline

•    Expressions of Interest for both artwork commissions need to be submitted by 5pm on Friday 17 September 2026.
•    A panel will then review the submissions, with a shortlist drawn up for each artwork commission. 
•    The shortlist of up to three applicants for each artwork will then be asked to develop their proposal before the final appointments are made in late 2026.
•    The installation of the artworks are expected to take place in spring 2027, ahead of the Caerlee Mill Bike Campus opening in summer 2027.

Partners

Caerlee Mill Heritage Group will provide input for the external artwork, while both opportunities will involve the Campus' project partners.