Arts of Place - Mirrorpool Wednesday 16th June 2010

1. BRADFORD MIRROR POOL CITY PARK Different approaches to public art commissioning Ian Banks, Director: Atoll

2. Evolution of the City Park Permanent commissions Methods taken to engage the artists and the commissions Other key projects to demonstrate different ways of engaging artists, methods of working and commission types Different approaches to public art commissioning Permanent & Temporary cross over (+ experience on City Park project, specifically the competition element):

3. Evolution of the City Park Permanent commissions Methods taken to engage the artists and the commissions Other key projects to demonstrate different ways of engaging artists, methods of working and commission types

8. Issue 13: Exploiting the City’s Cultural Assets Issue for the plan is how to exploit the cultural assets of the city centre, so that Bradford city centre can become a recognised destination in its own right. The three listed options were: a) Promote the expansion of the existing cultural facilities within the city centre. b) Promote additional cultural/leisure facilities within the city centre. c) Provide better connections/linkages between the existing and future cultural facilities. Bradford Mirror Pool City Park – CULTURAL INFLUENCES

9. Bradford Mirror Pool City Park – CULTURAL INFLUENCES The Mission of the Only Connect Cultural Strategy was “To enable people in the Bradford District to connect with, access, develop, respect and celebrate a variety of cultural activity throughout their life”. Bradford’s cultural strategy also complimented the 2020 Vision Community Strategy and the ‘Big Plan’ of its Sustainable Community Strategy.

10. Bradford Mirror Pool City Park – CULTURAL INFLUENCES The City of Film vision is that by 2020 Bradford will have film at the heart of its development, identity and day to day life. There will be a buzz about film which touches all aspects of life in Bradford; local people, our institutions, employers, businesses, voluntary and community organisations and visitors.

12. Bradford Mirror Pool City Park – DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS At the point of the permanent commission artist shortlisting in summer 2009, the detail design for City Park was already set and commissions needed to be able to integrate without disrupting already well-established and costed design principles.

13. Evolution of the City Park Permanent commissions Methods taken to engage the artists and the commissions Other key projects to demonstrate different ways of engaging artists, methods of working and commission types

15. 1. Hinterland: Urban Rural In the Preface to his book Socialism Over Sixty Years , J B Priestly observed about living in Bradford that “I grew up with two equally strong tastes: one for what is truly urban - for concerts and theatres and arts clubs and cafes to argue in; and the other for really grand, wild remote country, for salty winds, vast dark hills, stone walls vanishing into the clouds, springing larks and lonely curlews."

16. 2. Mirror: Living Projections David Hockney’s interest in mirrored light dates back to his LA series of swimming pool paintings from the late 60’s. His recent book Secret Knowledge was a practical and historical investigation into how artists from the 15th century onward produced vividly realistic perspective in drawings and paintings through what he called “living projections".

17. 3. Source : Water of Life Water has a central place in the symbolic practices and beliefs of many cultures and religions. Within Bradford, water as a metaphor is also picked up historically in the industrial importance of water to the Industrial Revolution; and in the link between the city and Nidderdale – where Bradford’s water sourced from Scarr House and Angram reservoirs over 100 years later still flow by gravity along the 31 mile aqueduct to Heights Water Treatment Works to Bradford.

18. 4. Beam : Arts of Place A supporting tier of multi-disciplinary arts development that places the arts and local artists at the centre of Bradford’s place-making and regeneration - supporting the permanent City Park public art programme and linking in strategically to the developing City of Film

29. Evolution of the City Park Permanent commissions Methods taken to engage the artists and the commissions Other key projects to demonstrate different ways of engaging artists, methods of working and commission types

30. Visioning Work in collaboration with artist Michael Trainor in 2005 on a draft design and feasibility for Eye Con - working with Taylor Young to develop concepts for a relocatable light and projection pod; a Festival of Moving Image for St Helens BC – 1 main lead artist commission to work alongside design team and client. www.lookingforhelen.net Other Atoll Projects – LEAD ARTIST COLLABORATION

31. Following collaboration with artist Dan Dubowitz on the Cultural Masterplan for Sunderland, work with Sunniside Partnership URC from 2007 to develop public realm strategy. First phase now ongoing with 4 artists - KAPOK (lighting), Bill Fontana (sound), SDNA TV (video projection) and Charlie Davidson (street furniture) - commissioned. www.culturalmasterplan.org www.sunnisidepartnerhip.co.uk Other Atoll Projects – DESIGN TEAM COLLABORATION

32. Design Team collaboration in 2008/09 with Landscape Architects Gillespies on Urban Design Guide and Public Realm Framework for Carlisle and Lancaster City Council – Artist commissioning briefs written-in to developing framework. www.gillespies.co.uk Other Atoll Projects – PUBLIC REALM FRAMEWORKS

33. Sustainable Art and Design in Public Realm strategy in 2010 prepared with Beam for Craven District Council – Ongoing artist support mechanism and funding opportunities to be developed out of ‘Section 106’ planning income generation from development projects. http://sustainable-craven.blogspot.com Other Atoll Projects – PUBLIC ART STRATEGY

34. Waterfront public art strategy prepared with Beam for Widnes Waterfront EDZ in 2007 – So far, 2 temporary and 1 permanent artist commission has been funded. www.widneswaterfront.co.uk/ Other Atoll Projects – REGENERATION STRATEGY

35. Preston Cyclorama concept of a parks-based ‘community gateways’ linked via a ring of inner city cycleway along existing green corridors. Developed from 2008 as part of an overall public art and gateway strategy for Preston City Council - in the build up to the 2012 Preston Guild – Rolling programme of artist residencies hoped for ultimately. www.preston-guild.co.uk Other Atoll Projects – GATEWAY STRATEGY

36. Visioning Work completed 2008 in collaboration with masterplanners Taylor Young on the Cultural Masterplan for the Weaver Valley Regional Park - Follow-up work commissioned to develop 5 temporary artist commissions for both Weaver and Cheshire. www.cheshire.gov.uk/wvrp www.weavervalley.org.uk Other Atoll Projects – CULTURAL MASTERPLANNING

37. Design Team collaboration currently ongoing with Waring + Netts and ARTS UK on the interpretative public art strategy for the Wearmouth Jarrow Partnership World Heritage Bid - 4 solicited commissions initially created from short list to choose lead artist. www.waring-netts.co.uk www.wearmouth-jarrow.org.uk Other Atoll Projects – INTERPRETATION COLLABORATION

38. Facilitation for ACE WM on a 3-year public art and regeneration engagement pilot within the West Midlands between 2006 to 2009 – Supporting tier of 9 artists funded for workshop facilitation, along with general project enabling, support and advocacy www.exploreinitiative.co.uk Other Atoll Projects – CAPACITY BUILDING

39. Collaboration in 2009 on Hiddenplace with artist Noah Rose as Lead Artists for Burnley – a networking and temporary public art and local artists development festival created via Tesco and NWDA funding – 7 temporary artist commissions created over 1 month. www.hiddenplace.org.uk Other Atoll Projects – LOCAL ARTIST DEVELOPMENT

40. With Beam developed the £4.5 million public art funding plan for the Northern Way’s Welcome to the North public art strategy – 9 temporary and permanent artist commissions ultimately created www.thenorthernway.co.uk Other Atoll Projects – CULTURAL MARKETING & BRANDING