Call for Freelance Illustrator/Museum Artist at Nairn Museum
February 2026 – July 2026
Freelance Artist Fee: £7500 (set fee, flexible working with no set hours)
Closing Date: 6th January 2026
About the Role
Nairn Museum is seeking a creative artist/illustrator to help bring Nairnshire’s heritage to life. We are launching a new project that will open up some of our most significant and underexplored collections, especially for children, young people, and families.
We are looking for an illustrator who can create engaging, accessible artwork that sparks curiosity about how life and landscapes of Nairnshire have changed over time. Your illustrations will underpin new gallery panels, family activity sheets, and school learning resources exploring natural history, social history, working lives, land use, community traditions, and climate.
Brief
The Artist/Illustrator will create a suite of original illustrations for museum use, including gallery interpretations and learning packs and merchandise.
This will include:
- Illustrations of museum objects (for example: a colourful rendering of a medieval animal brooch)
- Reimaginings of events relating to Nairnshire (for example: a Roman ship in the Moray Firth)
- Imagery that helps explain complex history in friendly, creative ways (for example, how was a quern stone used.)
The museum team will supply a range of objects, buildings and events for illustration, and provide historical descriptions and context.
The Artist/Illustrator will take part in 3 community engagement sessions with local schools towards end of the project. The sessions will be organised and supported by the museum team and the museum will handle all the administrative work of this and purchase any required supplies for these engagement sessions. Alternatively, if based further afield, the Artist/Illustrator can design engagement sessions for museum staff and volunteers to run in schools.
What We’re Looking For
- A creative illustrator with experience of drawing objects, buildings or historical and scenes.
- Ability to produce artwork that is engaging for children and family audiences.
- Strong communication skills and willingness to collaborate with museum staff, volunteers, and community partners.
About the Project
This project is an opportunity to play a meaningful role in how people understand and engage with Nairnshire’s unique landscape, history, and communities. Your creative work will help bring complex stories to life, transforming local heritage to be more accessible and enjoyable for visitors of all ages.
Through your illustrations, visitors will be able to connect more deeply with the people, places, and environmental changes that have shaped Nairnshire over time. The illustrations you create will form a long-lasting part of our displays and will be used in learning materials across Nairn and Nairnshire, supporting schools, families, researchers, and community groups for years to come.
Project Location
Nairn Museum, Viewfield House, Nairn, IV12 4EE
The artist/illustrator will need to come to the museum to see objects and can work either onsite or offsite to create the illustrations. 3 engagement sessions will take place in Nairnshire.
How to Apply
Please send to admin@nairnmuseum.co.uk before the closing date of 6th January 2026:
- A short expression of interest.
- Your portfolio or examples of relevant work. (Either attach as a pdf or provide a link to an online shared drive.) We are open to different styles of illustration, and do not have a preferred medium.
- A quote showing your rates/standard pricing structure to give an indication estimating how many illustrations Nairn Museum will get for the agreed £7500 project fee. If required, please include transport and accommodation within this quote.
We are looking to appoint an artist/illustrator to commence February 2026.
Please send any questions to Annie MacDonald, Curator, at admin@nairnmuseum.co.uk
Thanks to support from the Haventus Ardersier Port Community Benefit Fund.
