CREATE is a cultural partnership between five London boroughs set up for the Cultural Olympiad. © CREATE 08

Artists in Greenwich, Hackney, Tower Hamlets, Newham and Waltham Forest are being offered a new commission worth £40,000 if they can come up with a great idea involving the local populace.

The well-paid commission for a participatory artwork comes from CREATE, the cultural partnership of the five host boroughs of the 2012 Olympic Games. The winning artist will be announced to coincide with the launch of the Cultural Olympiad on Friday September 26 2008, with the work going on show in July 2009 as part of the festivities of CREATE09.

Designed to be either part of the CREATE09 events or a stand-alone event, the organisers are hoping to tap into the pool of thousands of artists in the five London boroughs, which includes Turner Prize nominees and others of international standing.

The winning artwork could be a spectacular, large-scale finale of something that links to the community engagement programme for the Games in a more reflective way, creating a legacy for continued work. Anything is possible, permanent or temporary, as long as it involves the active participation of 20 to 50 residents from each of the five boroughs.

Judges for the CREATE 08 prize include Iwona Blazwick, Drector of the Whitechapel Gallery, artist Jeremy Deller and Director of arts company Artichoke, Helen Marriage.

Jeremy Deller, Bats emerging from a cave, 2003. Production photograph from Memory Bucket. © the artist.

"The CREATE Art Award is a fantastic addition to the cultural landscape of east and south east London," said judge Iwona Blazwick. "I'm looking forward to seeing the array of ideas that come in for our consideration. The cultural element of the Olympics is as important to the five boroughs as the Games themselves, and the CREATE Art Award is an essential part of that."

The host boroughs are working together in the run-up to the Games along with arts organisations, venues and practitioners from across east and south east London to develop an internationally significant annual arts festival.

The award is open to all artists, individuals or groups not currently in education who live or work in one of the five boroughs of Greenwich, Hackney, Newham, Tower Hamlets and Waltham Forest. Closing date for submissions August 1 2008.

The £40,000 fee for the CREATE 08 artwork has been provided by Arts Council England.

Find out more at:
www.visiteastlondon.co.uk/visitors/create08.