Shortlist announced for major Welsh art commission at the National Waterfront Museum

Two artists have been shortlisted for a major new public art commission at the National Waterfront Museum in Swansea, as part of a project celebrating Wales’s deep connection with the sea.

Amgueddfa Cymru – Museum Wales announced the shortlist to mark International Artists Day, following an open call earlier this year that attracted 30 submissions from artists across Wales.

Each project was inspired by the sea and stories of the Welsh coast, reflecting the museum’s new vision to explore Wales’s maritime identity and history.

Emotional resonance

After a competitive selection process, the jury shortlisted two entries for their creativity, originality and emotional resonance with the theme:

Jacqui Symons, from Carmarthenshire, has been selected for her textile-based installation Y Môr a Ni (The Sea and Us) alongside Kate Verity and Andy O’Rourke, from Newport, for their light- and texture-inspired work Llanw a Thrai (Tide and Flow).

Both shortlisted artists will now visit the museum to develop their proposals and explore how their designs will transform the Weston Hall — the museum’s main entrance space — into a striking, immersive welcome for visitors.

The final winning design will be commissioned later this year, with the completed installation due to be unveiled in February 2026.

The artwork will form a centrepiece of the National Waterfront Museum’s redeveloped entrance.

Extraordinary

Dr Nicole Deufel, Head of the National Waterfront Museum, praised the standard of entries and said the project reflected the museum’s evolving role in connecting art, place and identity.

“The quality and imagination of the submissions were extraordinary,” she said.

“We were deeply moved by how each artist engaged with our vision. The shortlisted concepts responded in an outstanding way to the space in our entrance hall and to Wales’s connection to the sea.”

The commission is part of Amgueddfa Cymru’s wider redevelopment of the National Waterfront Museum, which it says underlines its commitment to supporting Welsh contemporary art.

The project aims to give artists a national platform while inviting visitors to experience Wales’s cultural and environmental heritage through a fresh lens. The winning work will be a permanent addition to the museum.