Explore post-Brexit Britain with project Art 50

Today, Theresa May triggered the dreaded Article 50 to begin Brexit negotiations with the European Union. At the same moment, Sky Arts are launching Art 50, which will see 50 new artworks commissioned that will explore the notion of a post-Brexit Britain.

As debate about the prospect of Britain leaving the EU rages on and questions of the UK's future hanging in the balance, this ambitious initiative is looking for artists, individuals or groups from all walks of life to respond to the question of what it will mean to be British outside of the European Union.

Expect the project to reflect the diversity of opinion surrounding Brexit. “Brexit inspires passions on both sides of the debate,” says Phil Edgar-Jones, director of Sky Arts, “not least around the idea of cultural identity. We wanted to take that question of what it means to be British as a starting point for a diverse range of voices to respond to over the next two years as we prepare to leave the EU.”

These voices will include Remainers and Brexiteers, and will feature voices from across the UK from both rural and urban communities.

Art 50 is a collaboration between Sky Arts, the Barbican, Sage Gateshead, BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art and Storyvault Films (the makers of Sky Arts’ Portrait Artist of the Year and Landscape Artist of the Year).

Louise Jeffreys, the Barbican's director of Arts, reckons art can play a major part in the changes coming the UK’s way. “At this moment of huge national change, the arts are uniquely placed to help explore and articulate the hopes, fears and aspirations of the people of our nation,” she says.

Sarah Munro, director of the BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art, has similar sentiments: “the arts provide us with a unique platform to both reflect on who we are and more importantly who we want to be; to imagine what kind of world we want to create for future generations to flourish.”

The project will take place over two years, from the triggering of Article 50 through to the time when Britain leaves the EU, and will culminate in a number of TV programmes exploring the artworks commissioned and the ideas behind them.

Applications for Art 50 are now open for the first round of commissions through the Art 50 website – www.skyartsart50.tv