2009 marks the 100th anniversary of the granting of a royal charter to the University of Bristol, one of the UK’s leading universities. The University will be celebrating its centenary in a variety of ways, including high-profile public lectures by speakers of international stature, publishing projects and arts events. In addition, the University has adopted a vision for its cultural life that positions working with contemporary artists as an ongoing feature of the institution’s development as a physical presence in Bristol and as an academic community.

Situations will be overseeing the commissioning of the new permanent artwork which will mark the centenary. An artist has been selected by the organising committee to produce a new work specifically in the context of the centenary celebrations. This permanent commission will be the first major step in the continuing programme outlined above with the aim of establishing the University of Bristol as a patron of the Arts, one that invests in the challenging work of contemporary artists just as it does in the challenging ideas of its researchers.

The chosen artist will be announced in November 2008.

For more information on the University of Bristol’s centenary celebrations please visit www.bristol.ac.uk/centenary