Scope
Description
The Board of Trustees of the Tate Gallery is seeking to appoint a signage and wayfinding consultant(s) to help realise two transformative capital projects: the reimagining of Tate Liverpool and the renovation of the historic Palais de Danse in St Ives
We invite expressions of interest from studios with proven experience in delivering thoughtful, site-specific, and architecturally sensitive wayfinding strategies for complex public and cultural environments.
Tate Liverpool, Liverpool
Tate is embarking on an ambitious project to reimagine Tate Liverpool, reinforcing its role as a cultural anchor on the city's iconic waterfront. Tate Liverpool is the most visited contemporary art gallery outside of London and after welcoming over 20 million visitors over the past 30 years, the building is undergoing a significant refurbishment.
The project will re-equip and refurbish the gallery spaces to meet the scale and ambition of today's most exciting artists, while creating social spaces that better connect with the city and its communities, creating an environment that is flexible and inviting and able to host people, art and ideas in equal part.
Key interventions by 6a Architects include a new public-facing Art Hall, a reconfigured arrival sequence, improved vertical circulation, and enhanced connections to the river and city. The signage and wayfinding approach must mirror these values-adaptive, welcoming and seamlessly integrated into the architecture.
We are looking for a consultant who can interpret the spatial narrative of the new Tate Liverpool into a legible and inclusive visitor journey that fosters curiosity, clarity and delight.
Construction at Tate Liverpool will complete in October 2026 and will reopen in Spring 2027.
Palais de Danse, St Ives
The Palais de Danse in St Ives, Cornwall is a site of national cultural significance and deep local heritage. This intimate and characterful building-once a cinema, dance hall and wartime gathering space, and later, Barbara Hepworth's second working studio-sits opposite the Barbara Hepworth Museum and Sculpture Garden. The Palais will be sensitively renovated to unlock new layers of meaning, welcome and access, and support a rich programme of creative activity.
Now in its delivery phase, with Adam Khan Architects leading design and RIBA Stage 4 complete, this transformational capital project will restore and reimagine the Palais as an accessible, vibrant space for storytelling, artistic practice, and community engagement.
Opening is targeted for Q3 2026, with main construction finishing earlier that year. This is a rare opportunity to contribute to a landmark project that will honour Hepworth's legacy while shaping a new cultural chapter in St Ives.
We are seeking a signage and wayfinding consultant to help weave together the narrative of this unique site with elegant, discreet interventions that support intuitive navigation, accessible visitor experiences, and deep engagement with Hepworth's life, work and environment.
Total value (estimated)
- £100,000 excluding VAT
- £120,000 including VAT
Above the relevant threshold
Contract dates (estimated)
- 1 August 2025 to 31 March 2027
- 1 year, 8 months
Main procurement category
Services
CPV classifications
- 22314000 - Designs
- 31523000 - Illuminated signs and nameplates
- 34928470 - Signage
- 34992000 - Signs and illuminated signs
- 44423400 - Signs and related items
- 45212313 - Museum construction work
- 71000000 - Architectural, construction, engineering and inspection services
Not the same for all lots
Contract locations are shown in Lot sections, because they are not the same for all lots.
Lot 1. Tate Liverpool, Liverpool
Description
Tate is embarking on an ambitious project to reimagine Tate Liverpool, reinforcing its role as a cultural anchor on the city's iconic waterfront. Tate Liverpool is the most visited contemporary art gallery outside of London and after welcoming over 20 million visitors over the past 30 years, the building is undergoing a significant refurbishment.
The project will re-equip and refurbish the gallery spaces to meet the scale and ambition of today's most exciting artists, while creating social spaces that better connect with the city and its communities, creating an environment that is flexible and inviting and able to host people, art and ideas in equal part.
Key interventions by 6a Architects include a new public-facing Art Hall, a reconfigured arrival sequence, improved vertical circulation, and enhanced connections to the river and city. The signage and wayfinding approach must mirror these values-adaptive, welcoming and seamlessly integrated into the architecture.
We are looking for a consultant who can interpret the spatial narrative of the new Tate Liverpool into a legible and inclusive visitor journey that fosters curiosity, clarity and delight.
Construction at Tate Liverpool will complete in October 2026 and will reopen in Spring 2027.
Lot value (estimated)
- £70,000 excluding VAT
- £84,000 including VAT
Contract locations
- UKD72 - Liverpool
Same for all lots
CPV classifications and contract dates are shown in the Scope section, because they are the same for all lots.
Lot 2. Palais de Danse, St Ives
Description
The Palais de Danse in St Ives, Cornwall is a site of national cultural significance and deep local heritage. This intimate and characterful building-once a cinema, dance hall and wartime gathering space, and later, Barbara Hepworth's second working studio-sits opposite the Barbara Hepworth Museum and Sculpture Garden. The Palais will be sensitively renovated to unlock new layers of meaning, welcome and access, and support a rich programme of creative activity.
Now in its delivery phase, with Adam Khan Architects leading design and RIBA Stage 4 complete, this transformational capital project will restore and reimagine the Palais as an accessible, vibrant space for storytelling, artistic practice, and community engagement.
Opening is targeted for Q3 2026, with main construction finishing earlier that year. This is a rare opportunity to contribute to a landmark project that will honour Hepworth's legacy while shaping a new cultural chapter in St Ives
We are seeking a signage and wayfinding consultant to help weave together the narrative of this unique site with elegant, discreet interventions that support intuitive navigation, accessible visitor experiences, and deep engagement with Hepworth's life, work and environment.
Lot value (estimated)
- £30,000 excluding VAT
- £36,000 including VAT
Contract locations
- UKK30 - Cornwall and Isles of Scilly
Same for all lots
CPV classifications and contract dates are shown in the Scope section, because they are the same for all lots.
Participation
Legal and financial capacity conditions of participation
Lot 1. Tate Liverpool, Liverpool
Lot 2. Palais de Danse, St Ives
Professional indemnity insurance up to a value of £0.25m and evidence of employer's liability insurance to cover all activities related to Tate 's activities.
Particular suitability
Lot 1. Tate Liverpool, Liverpool
Lot 2. Palais de Danse, St Ives
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SME)
Submission
Enquiry deadline
20 June 2025, 12:00pm
Tender submission deadline
1 July 2025, 5:00pm
Submission address and any special instructions
https://secure.marketdojo.com/signup
The invite code to use is 6A77EE9E71.
If you experience any difficulty in registering or participating, contact the HelpDojo live chat or procurement@tate.org.uk
Tenders may be submitted electronically
Yes
Languages that may be used for submission
English
Award decision date (estimated)
25 July 2025
Award criteria
| Name | Type | Weighting |
|---|---|---|
| Quality | Quality | 60% |
| Cost | Cost | 40% |
Other information
Applicable trade agreements
- Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
Conflicts assessment prepared/revised
Yes
Procedure
Procedure type
Open procedure
Documents
Associated tender documents
Sourcing-Dojo-Participants-Process-Guide (1).pdf
Sourcing-Dojo-Participants-Flow-Chart.pdf
Contracting authority
Tate
- Public Procurement Organisation Number: PVXL-7942-GJXJ
Tate, Millbank
London
SW1P 4RG
United Kingdom
Email: procurement@tate.org.uk
Region: UKI32 - Westminster
Organisation type: Public authority - central government