News

Waterfront To Be Transformed With Public Artwork

Source: Widnes Waterfront

As part of the Waterfront public art strategy, Halton Borough Council is seeking expressions of interest for the first two in a series of artist residencies that will transform public areas of the waterfront with stunning art installations.
The initial two residencies, that will benefit from grants of £10,000 and will run up until 2008, will embrace all art forms and will help inform the realisation of a number of temporary and permanent major commissions.
The procurement process is being managed by specialist public art organisation, beam, that has 20 years experience in delivering public art installations at similar regeneration sites throughout the country.
Advertisements have been placed in the main national and international artistic publications following a wide-ranging study which has set the parameters of the project.
Ian Banks, Consultant Director at beam describes the process so far. He said: “There has been a lot of work done to get the project to this stage. Over the last six months we have put in place all the necessary arrangements to enable us to seek the artists and designers that will actually do the work.
“This project offers the opportunity to provide a lasting contribution to public art in the wider Halton area - it really could turn into something of national significance.
“The response we have received so far has been excellent. We have had contact with artists from all over the UK and also from the USA and Europe. We are excited by the response and believe that the project will greatly enhance the area and help put Halton on the map.”
In time it is hoped that a wider public art strategy for the Mersey waterfront will be built into Halton Borough Council’s planning framework via the use of a Supplementary Planning Document (SPD).
SPDs act as a guide to developers and landowners in specific areas explaining the size, scale and design of developments and public realm deemed to be suitable for the given area.
Halton Borough Council and their partners, beam, hope to appoint the first artists in the early summer 2007.
For further information on beam, please visit www.beam.uk.net

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