PASW Regional Newsletter: Spring 2007
Focus On Current Projects & Issues
Public Art in Poole
In addition to the healthy body of work already existing in the Borough, these forthcoming installations are due for Spring / Summer of 2007:
'Phosphor Fields' - a series of 10 metre-high, wind-powered, waving light wands on a site next to an area of Poole Harbour; and the 'Lane Lights' bench adjacent to an ASDA store entrance. The latter houses interactive light streams embedded in its upper surface, which illuminate in direct response to shoppers' movements nearby. Both are creations of the Jason Bruge Studio, London.
Peter Yarwood's 'Tattoed Screen' at Cabot Lane, Poole is nearing completion and will deliver a 'message in motion' as the audience passes by on the busy junction. The fourth of Johnny Woodford’s five play sculptures in the new Poole Quarter housing development is currently being created and readied for installation.
The Borough of Poole continues to secure public art contribution in its planning process, through the Percent for Art scheme and to advertise commissions through AN - keep an eye out for forthcoming opportunities.
Cross-departmental and external partnerships are ongoing towards future public art projects including the 'shared space' regeneration of ‘Old Orchard’ in Poole’s town centre area.
On March 15th 2007 at Poole Lighthouse, the Borough of Poole will deliver its 'Public Art Awareness Raising Event' for the authority's officers, elected members artist's, architects and other partners. The day will be in partnership with Southampton City Council staff and three of the artists involved in the regeneration of the city and is intended as preparation for a cross-conurbation Public Art Seminar with Bournemouth in the summer.
If you would like more information on this or any other public art issues in Poole, please contact
Nicky Whittenham, Public Art Officer 01202 262616 or email n.whittenham@poole.gov.uk.
Play Sculpture by Johnny Woodford; Photo by Nicky Whittenham
Cultural Mapping Programme
The Cultural Mapping programme was a 5 year public art commissioning project primarily funded by Arts Council England through Lottery funds. Fifteen site specific artworks were commissioned to mark entrances, significant sites and routes through Leicester.
The vision and key objective of this project was to create and develop a distinct character for the city, but with identifiable local differences, as well as helping residents and visitors to visualise the city.
Four themes were chosen for the individual commissions and schemes. These were Green Routes through Leicester including the riverside and cycle paths; Entrances to the city, which are not only main arterial routes but are also gateways to communities, each with their own distinct identity; Neighbourhoods with unique identities, both architecturally and in terms of their communities and the City Centre, which forms a natural convergence point for many routes with its own pathways, sites and functions.
There are a number of complimentary copies available of the accompanying publication which charts the individual projects together with an Introduction and project text from Jasia McArdle, and essays from Ben Heywood, Dr. Noha Nasser, Dr. Franco Bianchini and Dr. Eddie Chambers. The project has a dedicated website which includes in depth case studies and information. Send £2.00 SAE to : LCB Depot, Unit B504 31 Rutland Street, Leic. LE1 1RE.
Jasia McArdle, Project Manager jasia@jasia-spirit.co.uk.
Creativity = Sustainability seminars in North Somerset
Three seminars developed with Lesley Greene have been held to address the relationship between creativity and sustainability. The audience consisted of key officers and members with local representation from interested community, public and private sector bodies, artists and arts organisations.
The first debate addressed how to achieve a sustainable and appropriate management, for North Somerset’s cultural infrastructure, through the model of a Public Art Trust. It addressed the specific legal and best practice models around the ownership, maintenance and commissioning of public art.
The second aimed to demonstrate the key creative roles that artists and young people make to our environment and community revitalisation. Focus was on the local economic benefit of artist’s practice, the role of community consultation, management and ownership of projects and the evaluation of arts and ecology projects within education.
The third illustrated the creativity and flexibility required to meet the new challenges of sustainable communities, climate change and developing quality environments. This explored the themes of creative practice within sustainable housing, the public realm within urban planning in Weston and a regional perspective on encouraging quality and sustainability within design.
The programme was aimed at raising the profile of the arts development team within the authority whilst addressing current issues and contributing to the development of a new arts strategy. A commission by photographer Liz Milner will result in a new web based work. The seminar presentations, discussions and conclusions will be web-published after a final mini conference to be held in late spring.
Marcus Cole, marcus.cole@n-somerset.gov.uk.
Art Programme Efford
The Efford project is a neighbourhood regeneration scheme by Plymouth City Council and The Heart of Efford Partnership, funded by the South West of England Regional Development Agency. Plymouth Arts Centre is involved in a series of commissions that formed part of the consultation and master plan by architects and urbanists Shilliam and Smith, developing pilot art projects by artists Cleo Broda, Anna Hart, Sue Smith, and Jayne Murray. Given the context and locality of Efford, the artists explored themes and ideas of local heritage, urban environment in relation to place and community participation. The local community are currently developing a new scheme to include artist practice as part of the core vision for the area in collaboration with Plymouth Arts Centre.
Cleo Broda - Efford Recipes, 2006
The book is a record of a feast and a collection of local recipes from Efford.
Page from book: Cleo Broda, Efford Recipes, 2006
Anna Hart - Jack Sorrel Research Foundation, 2006
Research, actions and documentation about Jack Sorrell and the Royal Marine Public House.
Jayne Murray - Too Many No’s and Not Enough Yes’s, 2006
A social intervention with young people in Efford.
Sue Smith - Efford Moves, 2006
Dance workshop with young people in Efford
Paula Orrell, Curator, Plymouth Arts Centre, paula@plymouthac.org.uk; www.plymouthac.org.uk
Groundwork South West’s ‘Creative Links with China Clay’
Groundwork is a charity with the strap-line ‘Changing People, Changing Lives’. We work with local people to build sustainable communities through joint environmental action. We have recently been exploring how an arts-based approach can support our work and provide a tool to bring people together to make changes to the spaces where they live.
With Heritage Lottery funding we are working with community groups in the China Clay areas of Cornwall on the ‘Creative Links’ project to research their industrial heritage and reflect their findings through arts and crafts.
Artists are working with local people to work creatively to explore and interpret their unique industrial heritage, using methods such as creative writing and Richard Austin’s ‘Skullature Workshops’.
Artist Richard Austin running his Skullature Workshops with community members from the Golden Friendship Group of Penwithick.Photo: Polly Talmage, Groundwork Devon & Cornwall.
Ultimately the project will result in the findings being reflected in the design, creation and installation of landmark pieces created by Cornish sculptors to be placed at three gateway points to the Clay Trails bridleway, footpath and cycle-route network.
Groundwork’s Creative Links project will enable people to engage with a variety of artistic media and to work with professional artists, as well as providing opportunities for Cornish sculptors to create some lasting physical installations for all to enjoy.
Louise Walsh, Regional Development Manager, Groundwork South West louise.walsh@groundwork.org.uk.
Beacon Quay Public Art Project
In October 2004 Torbay Council was approached by lead artist Melanie Thompson who proposed to work with the authority to create a site specific piece of public art in Torquay. Melanie offered an interactive work of art that would assist in the regeneration of Torquay harbour and town centre. In November 2005 the artist Bob Budd was appointed to develop the public art scheme. We quickly identified Beacon Quay as the best potential site for the project. Proposals to implement public realm improvements at Beacon Quay had already identified the potential for public art to create a focus in this area that would draw people around the inner harbour and help to regenerate Beacon Quay itself.
Beacon Quay, Torquay.Artist Bob Budd / Lead Artist Melanie Thompson; Photo Paul Osborne.
The project taught us two valuable lessons for the future. The first that it would have been better if Bob could have been involved at the initial design stage of the public realm scheme, the artwork could then have been developed with consideration of the overall design of the whole of the public realm. To achieve this Bob would have needed to be appointed much earlier. The second lesson was by creating a strong core group at the start of the project the project was able to communicate its aims clearly and satisfy the needs of most of the people involved once built.
Melanie Thompson, melart84@btinternet.com.
Public Art Bournemouth
In December 2006 Bournemouth Council’s cabinet adopted the Public Art Development Plan referred to in an earlier edition of this newsletter. All 12 recommendations were agreed and the plan can be read online www.bournemouth.gov.uk/residents/arts.
One of the Recommendations focusses on using the pilots included in the Plan. They will be used as case studies and be evaluated against The Officers' Toolkit provided within the Development Plan. Two of the four pilots are within the Boscombe area; the new Boscombe Library and Housing Development and the Boscombe Spa Village.
The Library project involves East Dorset Housing Association, in collaboration with Bournemouth Libraries and Bournemouth Arts Development to commission 2 artists to develop public art in an appropriate media on two wall areas to be linked through design. One is a bicycle store wall near the entrance to the building and the other a brick face elevation above the entrance. A Support Artist who will be Dorset based, professionally qualified but who wishes to gain experience of working in the realm of public art will assist the Lead Artist. To date over 90 information packs have been sent out to interested artists for both posts, with appointments being made in early March.
The Boscombe Spa Village project will transform Boscombe Seafront into a unique leisure amenity focused around:
- Europe’s first artificial surf reef.
- A revitalised pier and new leisure, catering and retail infrastructure.
- A landscaped piazza and events arena linking Boscombe Gardens to the sea.
The consultant artist Irene Rogan has been selected by the Planning Group and has significant experience of making work in the public realm, as well as knowledge and experience of advising planners and developers on best practice in Public Art development. Irene Rogan is working closely with the Design Team to advise and recommend suitable and appropriate public art elements that can deliver the project. She will be contributing to discussions on the aesthetic overview relevant to the development with particular attention to signage, street furniture, hard landscaping and community use. Irene will also produce a report with her recommendations and develop a list of suitable artists and/or craftsperson capable of executing the type of commissions recommended.
To view progress on the project www.bournemouth.gov.uk/boscombespavillage.
The opening of Boscome Library; hoardings mural by artist Jeff Pigott.
On a smaller scale we continue to promote Hoardings Mural Projects to Developers working in the town. The illustration shows the panels of the Boscombe Library site. The artist working on this project was Jeff Pigott.
Carolyn Date, Service & Strategy Manager Libraries and Arts