The States of Guernsey is offering a unique opportunity for designers, artists and creative agencies to submit their artwork/creative concepts to be featured on a series of new banknotes for launch in 2027.
This exciting and prestigious project will see the launch of fresh designs on Bailiwick banknotes for the first time since the 1990s.
The opportunity is open to local resident artists or designers or ones with strong connections to the island. A creative brief is available upon request for anyone interested in finding out more about the submission requirements, including some mandatory parameters to follow so that the designs can be reproduced on official currency.
Ensuring local currency keeps up to date with latest developments like being printed on polymer is one of several drivers for the project, which also includes that Bailiwick notes still bear the image of Queen Elizabeth II.
The project is being overseen by the States Treasurer, who has responsibility for issuing Guernsey’s currency and ensuring there are sufficient stocks for local circulation requirements.
Bethan Haines, States Treasurer, said: “This is a unique opportunity for artists, designers and creative agencies to have their ideas for new banknotes become part of our cultural heritage in the years to come. It has been some 30 years since our notes were last redesigned and now is the right time to update them. Our notes are still printed on paper which is becoming much more difficult to source with the closure of paper mills, meaning we’ll need to move onto polymer.
“We have developed a creative brief aimed at local designers, artists and creative agencies to put forward concepts for a new family of notes to include a design for a £1, £5, £10 and £20. A £50 will also be designed but may not be put into production given the current limited usage of this denomination.
“The winning concepts/designs will be handed over to the De La Rue design team in the first quarter of 2025 for conversion into banknotes. This process will take the remainder of 2025 with production expected to commence in 2026. The new notes are expected to be released into circulation in 2027.”
To register your interest and request a creative brief please email GuernseyBanknotes@gov.gg. Submissions of creative concept/artwork must be received no later than 3rd January 2025.
