PASW Regional Newsletter: Autumn 2006
Focus On Current Projects & Issues
A Public Art Strategy for Bournemouth
The Context:
Bournemouth is a place known for its seafront, its parks and open spaces and its cultural life. Bournemouth faces several regeneration and development opportunities, which in turn offer the chance for collaboration between planners, developers, architects, urban designers, local communities and artists and gives a context and an inspiration for the commissioning of quality public art. **
There are examples of existing interest in public art involving large-scale installations, mosaics, sculpture and lighting structures, usually as the result of individual interest or personal enthusiasm. Existing planning policy supports public art and Percent for Art, but in practice this formal policy had rarely been actioned. Developer contributions were usually channelled into leisure developments and facilities, and the Percent for Art had not been applied.
The need for a public art strategy for Bournemouth had become more urgent given the potential contribution through public art for community engagement, regeneration and improved quality of life for residents and visitors.
“…….some notable public realm developments [which] have included public art, but there is currently no strong [corporate] strategy, mechanism or understanding of how to turn policy into action and increase resources and value particularly from developer contributions”. **
The Method:
The Libraries and Arts Service commissioned consultants Diana Hatton and Lisa Harty to work with the Council to produce the new strategy and development plan.
Their work involved seminars with officers, artists, developers, Bournemouth University and the Arts Institute @ Bournemouth and elected members. Presentations and consultations took place with key officer groups and elected members through the Scrutiny Panel process. Two Scrutiny Panels were consulted: Economy, and Community & Culture, as were the two cabinet members holding these portfolios.
Mosaic in the Square, Bournemouth. Artist: Maggie Howarth.
The Outcomes:
• the consultation with stakeholders demonstrated that officers were willing to work jointly and with interest, members were enthusiastic about the potential contribution to quality of life and community safety, and developers were keenly interested in greater engagement with the community and artists;
• Another important outcome has been to raise the profile and potential of public art, and to identify new ways for officers to work together and with artists and developers for community benefit;
• Three pilots areas have been agreed; Planning policy (Exeter Road), Regeneration (Boscombe Spa Village) Information Culture & Community (Site specific work in the Lower Pleasure Gardens, Boscombe Library projects);
• The Strategy and Development Plan contains a series of important Recommendations, Case Studies and a Toolkit to aid sustainability.
“……developers and new planning legislation will be looking for a more rigorous definition of community consultation with regard to new developments. New planning requirements offer a real opportunity and challenge to arts and community development services to offer quality creative and rigorous solutions through artists commissioning to consultation needs”.**
The Public Art Development Plan for Bournemouth is in the final consultation stages, in preparation for submission to Cabinet and Full Council in Autumn 2006.
Further details: Carolyn Date, Service & Strategy Manager: Libraries & Arts, Information Culture & Community Learning, Bournemouth Borough Council
E-mail: [email protected]
** Lisa Harty & Diana Hatton. A Public Art Development Plan for Bournemouth. Bournemouth Borough Council. 2006.
Plymouth Waterfront Development
Plymouth City Council has secured a PROJECT Team Building Award of £10k to engage Tim Knowles to join a multi-disciplinary Project Implementation Team due to commence work this year to take forward the Vision for Plymouth, but specifically concentrating on the Plymouth Waterfront. The Vision for Plymouth seeks to position Plymouth as “one of Europe’s finest, most vibrant waterfront cities”.
Plymouth Waterfront
Tim will be engaged in a Lead Artist capacity to focus on regenerating an extensive “triangle of opportunity” between the City Centre at the apex of the triangle and the Barbican, the Hoe and Millbay at the base through strengthening the physical connections and land use activities along the central length of waterfront from the Barbican through the Hoe to Millbay and between the Hoe and the City Centre and Millbay and the City Centre.
Tim will join a new, but experienced team of Council officers (local planners, urban designers, landscape architects, engineers, surveyors, arts officer, tourism officer, community safety officer and events officer) and external partners (SWRDA, EP, English Cities Fund, City Centre Company, Sutton Harbour Company) charged with developing both the new planning framework for the area of opportunity during 2006/07 and 2007/08 as well as the outline design of a number of key public and public-private partnership development proposals and integrated public realm improvements.
Further details: Chris Coldwell, Senior Project Manager, Development Projects Team
Transport, Infrastructure & Engineering Service, Plymouth City Council
E-mail: [email protected]
St Ives Flood Defence Scheme
Peter Freeman, who creates light sculpture, has been invited to put forward ideas for public art that could form part of the St Ives flood defence scheme.
Peter, who lives in Nancledra, was selected by the Environment Agency after a panel of representatives from the District Council and arts organisations interviewed four artists. The shortlist was drawn up after 14 artists had responded to open invitations posted in artists' publications.
'All the artists shortlisted were of a very high standard' said Melanie Hinde of design consultants Halcrow. 'Peter is now developing proposals in outline and the local advisory panel will be fully consulted.'
Further details: Melanie Hinde, Halcrow
E-mail: [email protected]
A Place for Art - A public art strategy for central Gloucester
Ginkgo Projects Ltd is currently developing a public art strategy for Gloucester Heritage Urban Regeneration Company (GHURC) as part of the regeneration programme for central Gloucester.
'The Barge Arm installation' Gloucester Docks Hoardings Lights. Artist: Andrew Stonyer.
GHURC was set up in February 2004 and is charged with bringing back to life the many historic areas of Gloucester through the physical and economic regeneration of the city. The city’s rich physical and cultural heritage will play a critical role in helping to develop a distinctive platform for regeneration. Urban designers Terence O’Rourke are developing an Area Regeneration strategy, this work is concentrating on seven key priority areas including Gloucester Docks, the Railway Triangle, the Canal Corridor, Gloucester Quays, Kings Square and Greyfriars and Blackfriars area of the city.
The public art strategy was completed in July.
Further details: Tom Littlewood at Ginkgo Projects on 01934 733406
E-mail [email protected].