Writer's commission opportunity in South Gloucestershire

Bovis Homes Ltd is transforming the former Filton airfield in South Gloucestershire into a new mixed use development called Charlton Hayes. The development includes housing, community and leisure facilities, workspace and public realm.

This commission is aimed at developing a series of short stories informed by research within the local area. The text will form the basis for a series of permanent public art commissions to be integrated into the new public realm.

The writer's brief is available to download by clicking here.

If you are interested in applying for this project, please send:
• A recent copy of your CV
• A brief written statement about your work
• Up to 3 examples of your previous written work

Applications should be sent to tom@ginkgoprojects.co.uk by Friday 14th January
2011. Supporting information may also be sent by post to Tom Littlewood at Ginkgo
Projects (see brief for contact details). 

The deadline for applications is 14th January 2011.  Applicants selected for interview will be notified by January 27th 2011 (provisional). Work to be completed by end of May 2011.

Inverness Old Town Art project receives £92k additional funding

The funding will secure IOTA's running costs for the next 3 years, and is aimed at improving Inverness's waterfront areas. It is anticipated an open weekend will be held in the city to talk to businesses and art organisations on ideas for the creation of two public works of art for the Longman and the riverside.

http://www.inverness-courier.co.uk/news/fullstory.php/aid/1393/Art_project_to_get__A392,000_of_public_money.html

Councillors agreed the extra funding on 29 November, voting 14 to eight to grant the extra funding from the common good fund.

Fleet: Art in the Haven Ports, Essex and Suffolk coast

I'm not sure whether any of these artworks are still on display (bit slow on the uptake, me, this started in Autumn 09) But Tod Hanson, who was commissioned in Lancaster at the Storey, has created a beautiful work as part of the programme, which you can view here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/dubdog/4799816556/ (Can't download the photo I'm afraid)
The project website is here: http://www.fleet-art.org/ although it's a bit gappy.

The project, developed and presented by Commissions East, aimed to 'bring the contemporary visual arts to a number of historic and endangered sites in the East of England.' The sites are influenced by their location on Suffolk and Essex coastline: internationally renowned for its natural beauty and wildlife habitats.

Fleet is the UK part of an international arts programme called Face2Face – and the programme apparently included residencies from French as well as UK artists. There were commissions, residencies and events, plus film screenings and other works brought to the UK by the partners from the Nord Pas de Calais region.

David Cotterrell's Hill 33 project in the Forest of Dean

David Cotterrell has created an enormous 1,300 tonne, 11 metre tall, new earthwork made out of HESCO concertainers (TM) which are used by the Army to build shelters and large-scale defence structures in Afghanistan. David Cotterrell’s first sight of HESCO was when he was based in Afghanistan as a war artist. The artwork is in Gloucestershire and was commissioned by the Forest of Dean Sculpture Trust.

Watch a time lapse video of the artwork being created here:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/gloucestershire/hi/people_and_places/arts_and_culture/newsid_9065000/9065421.stm

Hoping to go and see it soon. It looks a bit stark at the moment but it will be interesting to see how much it changes over the next few years.

Vivien Lovell from Modus Operandi responds to Anna Pasternak article...

'Permanent versus temporary public art is not the issue. Budgets for public art—in all its forms—now provide a major income stream for artists, and some of these sources are under threat.' Full article here: http://www.theartnewspaper.com/articles/Permanent+versus+temporary+public+art+is+not+the+issue/21762

Lovely Weather: Art & Climate Change exhibition & conference, Ireland

'Climate Change is the issue of our times. The oceans are warming, glaciers are disappearing and the natural world is in sharp decline.

Donegal County Council Public Art Office/Regional Cultural Centre in partnership with Leonardo/Olats has established a unique and ambitious initiative entitled ‘Lovely Weather’ Art and Climate Change which fundamentally seeks to determine and present the role artists have to play in the Climate Change debate. This is the first and only of its kind in Ireland!

Following an international competition five artists/scientists were selected to work in residence in each of the five electoral areas of County Donegal, to explore on the ground, the effects of climate change and its modifications throughout the county. The brochure above explains each of the projects in more detail.

The Lovely Weather Art and Climate Change Exhibition and Conference will take place at the Regional Cultural Centre, Letterkenny, Co. Donegal on 12th and 13th November 2010, the exhibition will continue until 22nd January 2011. We have placed the exhibition opening and confrence as part of National Science Week 2010.

Please see http://lovelyweatherproject.blogspot.com/ for on-line registration. and www.donegalpublicart.ie for further details.'

Intersections, Radar & Public View

Intersections
Thought this website and organisation based in Newcastle, Intersections, might be of interest - thanks to Matt Baker for sharing info.
'Intersections generates critical dialogue about public art practice and develops pioneering practice-based and theoretical research in this area. Intersections is a project which links Fine Art at Newcastle University with the wider cultural sector through events, research projects and generating debate. Drawing together practitioners, theorists, sector organisations, policy makers and the wider public, Intersections examines issues arising from the creative friction inherent in the interaction of public art practice, policy and public space. Underpinning our work is an ethos of collaboration, working with artists and organisations outside the University to host events and develop research projects on carefully selected themes.'

Radar
Met someone from Radar at Loughborough University in Weston super Mare while at the Wonders of Weston launch. http://www.arts.lboro.ac.uk/radar/
'Radar is Loughborough University’s contemporary arts programme, hosting three seasons of work each year.  Each season of commissions, talks, films and events is inspired by a particular area of research or inquiry being investigated by artists and academics.  The programme sets out to encourage creative exploration and critical debate, working, in particular, with artists whose practice seeks to reinterpret the relationship between artist, environment and spectator.'

Public View
This website about public art in Sunderland might also be of interest:
www.publicview.org.uk

Morecambe to Bridlington cycle route commission by Matt Baker

Artist Matt Baker has been commissioned to develop ideas for an innovative public art project linked to the Way of the Roses, a new coast-to-coast cycle route between Morecambe and Bridlington.
Matt says:
'I have just completed a marathon 4 week research journey along the route (see my blog : http://tinyurl.com/32ro85p). It was a very inspiring trip and I interviewed over 50 people/groups on the way. I am working towards a concept presentation on Nov 10th and will be proposing a series of interlinked site-specific collaborations with local groups and artists over the route together with works for either end (the two ends will set up the conceptual framework for the smaller works along the way)'
Watch this space...

A Guide to the New Ruins of Great Britain - Owen Hatherley

Ok, it's not directly about public art but this new book about urban regeneration during the Labour reign is sort of related. In fact public art gets mentioned - witheringly - in the second sentence of this article. The next thing to give public art a bad name.
What the author doesn't talk about is the conditions under which these sorts of projects were funded - often through the RDAs and often with challenging deadlines for completion, leading to rush jobs and an inability to comply with best practice, whether for commissioning artists or anything else.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2010/oct/16/owen-hatherley-ruins-great-britain
(I particularly like the Guardian quick link which has distilled it to 'owen-hatherley-ruins-great-britain' - oh come now, it wasn't all his fault.)

Anne Pasternak article for The Art Newspaper on temporary public art

http://www.theartnewspaper.com/articles/Short-term+solutions+to+a+permanent+problem/21631
Choice quote:
'Despite the enthusiasm for a few acknowledged masterpieces, much public art is pretty terrible, however. One reason for this is that it is often meant to be permanent. This means artists are limited in their choice of materials and scale, which can stifle their ambition. Public art works have to comply with standards imposed by engineers and safety inspectors, and must not offend public decency. Then there’s often a lack of oversight and maintenance that can leave outdoor sculptures looking tragically neglected.'
Discuss.

Gretna Landmark

With Lead Artist Andy Goldsworthy and Creative Director Charles Jencks, this commission looks to be an interesting project which aims to mark the border crossing from England to Scotland. The project requires around £2m investment. For more info visit www.gretnalandmark.com

Public art seminar series in Burnley Dec 2010 - Mar 2011

Nayan Kulkarni, Beam and Maggie Bolt are all future speakers at this seminar series organised by CreativityWorks for Regeneration.
 
Wednesday 15 December
Nayan Kulkarni: inside and alongside: dis/integrated artworks

Wednesday 26 January
Robert Powell/Jane Field (Beam): Your Space: The Arts, Learning, and Participation in Regeneration

Wednesday 9 March
Maggie Bolt: ‘What Next For Public Art?’ Planning in a Changing Context

All seminars are FREE, and will take place on Wednesdays from 2 to 5 p.m. in the Tudor Room at Burnley Mechanics, Manchester Road, Burnley. Tea/coffee/biscuits provided.

Please contact Piotr Bienkowski for further information piotr.bienkowski@blackburn.gov.uk

The seminars are funded by Lancashire County Council through their Public Art Allocation.

Illuminate Bath, 1 - 13 November 2010

Illuminate Bath is a new arts festival transforming the city’s streets over two weeks from 1 - 13 November. More than 50 artists and performers will be showcasing their work in different locations around Bath.

The Illuminate Bath programme includes projections, dance, sculpture, film, music, animation, textiles, installations, theatre, poetry and workshops. You can find these around the city centre, both indoors and outdoors in spaces where you would not necessarily expect to see art.  Most of the festival is completely free, with the exception of a few performances and workshops which are ticketed.

Students, graduates and staff from Bath Spa University and Relays (Regional Educational Legacy in Arts and Youth Sports) are the creative force behind Illuminate Bath. They have developed ideas in response to the theme of this year’s festival, which is kinetic energy (energy generated by movement) and light.

The grand finale takes place on Saturday 13 November, when the festival finishes with a dazzling free event featuring interactive projections and performances in SouthGate Place from 5pm to 8pm.  Catch a glimpse of the action as you pass through or stay for the duration and soak up the atmosphere.

Please visit the festival website for further information about what’s on and how to buy tickets: www.illuminatebath.org

Launch of Ruined, a new public artwork by Hew Locke, Brunswick Cemetery, Bristol

A new artwork by internationally renowned artist Hew Locke (who is currently one of the nominees for the next Fourth Plinth commission) is being launched in the new Brunswick Cemetery Gardens in Bristol.

Saturday 13 November
BRUNSWICK CEMETERY GARDENS
off Brunswick Square and Wilder Street, St. Pauls, Bristol

12pm – 4pm
Meet the artist
Free live music for autumn by Vladimir Steamboat

Warming food supplied by Rice & Things

Free art workshop run by Refab Arts

5pm
Free artist’s talk
Public Art In The Park

Unitarian Chapel, Brunswick Square
Hew Locke will be joined by artist Graham Fagen,
who was commmissioned to produce a new artwork for
St Agnes Park by Foreground for Bristol City Council.

Wonders of Weston

Going to Weston-super-Mare on Friday 29 October for the launch of Wonders of Weston, a programme of new public artworks by artists Ruth Claxton, Tim Etchells, Lara Favaretto, Tania Kovats in association with landscape architects Grant Associates, architects raumlaborberlin and artist collective Wrights and Sites.
It has been produced by Situations at the University of the West of England, Bristol, in association with Field Art Projects, and has been developed as part of the Sea Change initiative, which was aimed at revitalising seaside towns. Sea Change is funded by CABE on behalf of the DCMS and is managed by North Somerset Council.

Public art at The Storey Creative Industries Centre, Lancaster

The commission by artist Tod Hanson at the Storey Creative Industries Centre in Lancaster is nearly finished. Just the stairwell left to do, which will be finished next week. Will post some of the official photos on here later if given permission - the above photos are by Suzy Jones at the Storey Gallery.