Public Art/Statues

steeljack · 15-07-2006, 02:47

I'm trying to remember if there are any statues of anyone in Accrington/Hyndburn, Blackburn has Queen Victoria and Gladstone on the boulevard but I cant think of any in Accy , maybe a war memorial has a 'generic" trooper but any statues anywhere .........

mods, please move correct forum

Gayle · 15-07-2006, 07:29

Blackburn has lots of public art now, it's got all the ones on Church St, plus a nice new one in Corporation Park, plus a new proposed one for Sudell Cross as well as the older ones.

Accrington has some nice street furniture and a few limp trees on Broadway.

garinda · 15-07-2006, 08:06

Shamefully Accrington has no statues or public works of art (of any merit, besides a bit of industrial machinery artlessly plonked at the side of the council building).

Oswaldtwistle has one of the most critically admired war memorials in the country though.

Madhatter · 20-07-2006, 09:48

was gonna say gayle,I saw a rather nice war memorial. Glad people are starting to realise how little you've got in this area compared to your neighbours. even rossendale valley has it's sculpture trail, the water chamber and those rust old bed springs at waterfoot.

garinda · 20-07-2006, 12:19

I saw this willow man mentioned on tv programme.

I think it looks fantastic, though I fear if it was in Hyndburn a Brit Ekland look-a-like would have been tied to it and burnt along with the statue.

statue.http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/943715.stm

garinda · 20-07-2006, 12:23

Also, happily Merseyside are trying to raise money for Gormley's beach people statues at Crosby and stop them going to New York.

Gayle · 20-07-2006, 12:32

The willow man was done by an artist called Serena De La Hey. Her work is beautiful, she did a presentation to some people up here a few months ago. We'd love to have some of her work in East Lancashire.

The willow man was built once and then burnt down. The local farmers in the area clubbed together to find enough money to have it rebuilt and they then built a moat around it to help protect it - so far so good, it hasn't been burnt down again.

Her work really is beautiful - impressive from a distance but lovely up close because of the detail.

Gayle · 20-07-2006, 12:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by garinda

Also, happily Merseyside are trying to raise money for Gormley's beach people statues at Crosby and stop them going to New York.

I heard that too and I hope they succeed.

garinda · 20-07-2006, 12:40

The link in post five tells you more about the artist and her work.

She can put one in my tiny front garden if she wishes.

Madhatter · 20-07-2006, 13:43

I haven't seen them yet

Have the rawtenstall willow sculpture(s) survived.

Tealeaf · 20-07-2006, 13:55

Here we go again. I seem to recall there was a thread about a year ago on the dearth of statues/works of art around Accy. There is still nowt. I also recall about a year ago a thread on the utter waste of public money on the so-called Mele in Oakhill Park. Did somone say that last years would be the last?

So now what do we find? None other than our good friend Gayle splattering all over the place the fact that this bash is to occur once again; in other words, another ten grand of public money thrown away on an ethnic knees-up.

I have no poblem with these parties; but surely they should be self-financing. In the meantime, what has been wasted on such events over the last years could have been put to far better use in creating some lasting artwork/sculpture in Accy town centre. With enough to go round, maybe for Church, Ossy, etc as well.

Gayle · 20-07-2006, 14:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tealeaf

Here we go again. I seem to recall there was a thread about a year ago on the dearth of statues/works of art around Accy. There is still nowt. I also recall about a year ago a thread on the utter waste of public money on the so-called Mele in Oakhill Park. Did somone say that last years would be the last?

So now what do we find? None other than our good friend Gayle splattering all over the place the fact that this bash is to occur once again; in other words, another ten grand of public money thrown away on an ethnic knees-up.

I have no poblem with these parties; but surely they should be self-financing. In the meantime, what has been wasted on such events over the last years could have been put to far better use in creating some lasting artwork/sculpture in Accy town centre. With enough to go round, maybe for Church, Ossy, etc as well.

Yes, here we go again. The phrase 'broken record' comes to mind.

But in answer to your points Tealeaf - the Mela event has a budget of £13k, we have raised this from the National Lottery so not exactly public money. We applied for the money, explained what it was being used for and were granted it. We went through the same process that any other organisation could go through if they wanted to raise money for an event. HBC have not put any money into the event this year. We try to raise money this way so that they can be free and all inclusive.

As for whether the money could be used for a sculpture for Acc or Osw, well no it can't because we didn't apply for it for that. We have applied for it for a Mela - and btw, it is not HBC or even MPA who has applied for the funding, it is Hyndburn Mela and Community Festival Association who have raised the money for it. By sheer definition of the group's name we're not going to be raising money for a piece of public art we're going to be raising money for Melas.

Tealeaf · 20-07-2006, 15:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gayle

we have raised this from the National Lottery so not exactly public money. We applied for the money, explained what it was being used for and were granted it. We went through the same process that any other organisation could go through if they wanted to raise money for an event. HBC have not put any money into the event this year. We try to raise money this way so that they can be free and all inclusive.

My apologies Gayle. Firstly,I was still under the impression that National Lottery funds originate from the public, in spending some of their hard-earned income on lottery tickets. I had no idea that the funds originated elsewhere, in the form of millionaires donations or whatever.

Secondly, I did mention a figure of 10K; somewhat less than 13K. I'm afraid I forgot all about the insurance liability premium that is now neccessary in putting on events such as these..what a shame that so many smaller, unsubsidised charity raisning outdoor events cannot now go ahead because funding is not available to cover the premium.

Thirdly, I forgot to enquire about the splendid legacy that this do will leave. Other than rubbish in the park, I can't think of 'owt. Well, possibly in community relations, where once again an awful lot of people are going to be pretty mad about discriminatory spending on one group of people

No doubt we shall have the same nonsense next year.

Gayle · 20-07-2006, 19:30

Yes, the National Lottery is money from the public but it is money that is voluntarily given - not tax. If people are unhappy with the way the money is spent then they should not let their greed get in the way of giving to charity and give the money direct to good causes because let's be honest no one is actually buying a ticket because they're doing someone else good!

Why is funding not available to pay insurance for smaller events? Think you're clutching at straws to use that as a complaint.

As for the legacy, yes, community relations is a factor. But I'm curious about who this 'group of people' is - please explain more who we're discrimating against?

garinda · 20-07-2006, 22:23

I'm not funding the Mela.

I've not withheld any taxes, I just chose not to buy any Lottery tickets.

Simple.

As for the long saga of Hyndburn's lack of statues/public works of art, I would expect the salaried members of HBC's art's development office to secure funding, just as other people have for other events, like the Mela.

They could have commissioned a friggin' work of art with the money they've spent on the withering hanging baskets in Ossy alone!