---
title: "Cultural Events Programme - Books Alive! Trail"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-06f647"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-06f647"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06f647.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06f647.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "Sefton Council"
published: "2026-09-10"
---

# Cultural Events Programme - Books Alive! Trail

Buyer: Sefton Council  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-06f647

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[Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06f647.json)

## Summary

Sefton Council commissioned artistic leadership and delivery for the Books Alive cultural events programme in Southport. The requirement is for an installation trail across Southport town centre, comprising a series of interactive art installations. Make CIC is responsible for coordinating a consortium of artists, makers and other creatives from the Liverpool City Region, with specialists commissioned to develop, fabricate and deliver the installations. This is a creative and cultural services requirement, classified under CPV 98300000, covering miscellaneous services. The work is delivered in Southport, with the appointed organisation based in Birkenhead. The council is the public-sector buyer and the requirement covers one completed lot within its cultural events programme.

The procurement has been completed and awarded, with Make CIC selected as supplier. Sefton Council used a direct award below the applicable threshold and without competition. The contract was signed on 1 June 2026 and runs from 1 June to 30 November 2026. Its value is £85,000 excluding VAT, or £102,000 including VAT. The award is for services and covers the single lot for the Books Alive! Trail. The evaluation outcome is therefore the appointment of Make CIC as artistic lead and delivery partner. The contract remains active during its stated period, while the tender itself is recorded as complete.

This procurement demonstrates demand for cultural programme leadership combined with practical delivery of public art installations. A credible competitor for comparable work would need a strong network of artists, makers and creative practitioners, together with the ability to coordinate a consortium and manage commissions across multiple disciplines. Relevant capability includes developing interactive concepts, fabricating installations, managing delivery in a town-centre setting and leading the artistic direction of a public-facing programme. Experience of working with local authorities, cultural events and community-facing projects would help demonstrate suitability. The requirement also indicates value in combining creative design and production capacity within one coordinated team, rather than offering artistic services alone. Suppliers with established Liverpool City Region networks and the capacity to deliver several installations at once would be well placed when this type of requirement returns.

## Notice

Make CIC are being appointed as the artistic lead for the installation trail, as part of the Books Alive project. Make CIC look after a consortium of artists, makers and creatives across the Liverpool City region who are all specialists in their field and are being commissioned to develop, fabricate and deliver a series of interactive art installations across Southport Town Centre.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/085650-2026 |
| Notice type | UK7 - Contract Details Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Services |
| Procurement method | Direct |
| Procurement method details | Below threshold - without competition |
| Tender suitability | Not specified |
| Awardee scale | SME |
| All stages | Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 10 Sep 2026 |
| Submission deadline | Not specified |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | Not specified |
| Contract period | 1 Jun 2026 - 30 Nov 2026 |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | Not specified |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | Not specified |
| Contracts value | £85,000 |

## Status

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender status | Complete |
| Lots status | Complete |
| Awards status | Active |
| Contracts status | Active |

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | Sefton Council |
| Locality | BOOTLE |
| Postcode area | Liverpool |
| Postcode | L20 3NJ |
| Country | England |
| ITL 1 | TLD North West (England) |
| ITL 2 | TLD7 Merseyside |
| ITL 3 | TLD73 Sefton |
| Local authority | Sefton |
| Electoral ward | Derby |
| Westminster constituency | Bootle |
| Delivery location | Not specified |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 1 |
| Supplier names | MAKE LIMITED |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 98 - Other community, social and personal services

### Codes

- 98300000 - Miscellaneous services

## Release History

- 10 Sep 2026 at 09:26 - Award - UK7 - Contract Details Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/085650-2026

## Documents

- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/085650-2026
  10th September 2026 - Contract details notice on Find a Tender

## Notice URLs

- http://www.sefton.gov.uk/
- https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents

## Provenance

This Markdown file is an alternate public rendering of the D3 Tenders contract record. The canonical page is https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-06f647. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06f647.json.