We are appointing a freelancer or organisation to create branding and a website for ‘Rock Pools’, a new public arts engagement programme that’s being co-created with and for the people of Hartlepool.

Rock Pools is a new community-led programme which will launch publicly in August 2026 and is part of Arts Council England’s Creative People and Places. Centring on co-creation, Hartlepool’s communities will set the priorities with community panels commissioning artistic and creative projects and events over the next three years.

Rock Pools is governed by a consortium consisting of: The Northern School of Art, Tees Valley Music Service, Thirteen, Thrive, and Hartlepool Sport. Funded by Arts Council England, Tees Valley Combined Authority, Hartlepool Borough Council, PFC Trust, Northern School of Art and Joseph Rowntree Foundation, the programme aims to work with thousands of Hartlepool’s residents and hundreds of artists over the next three years.

We are inviting expressions of interest from freelancers or organisations to create branding and a website which will help to announce the new programme and be an initial, interim identity that we expect to be used for approximately 12 months. Please note that, in 2027, we will co-create a fuller brand identity with communities, which will be covered by a future brief and is not covered by this brief.

Expressions of interest must be submitted by 10am, Monday 6^th July 2026, with more information available  here.

We are also recruiting for a Rock Pools Marketing Coordinator, who will be responsible for implementing the brand and building audiences. There is more about this opportunity here (deadline Wednesday 8^th July 2026).