Booklet on North East public artwork launched

Nov 13 2009 by Tony Henderson, The Journal

PUBLIC artworks, it seems, are everywhere. Environment Editor Tony Henderson reports on a passion for our times.

FOR prehistoric man, it was rock art, with more than 1,000 examples in Northumberland, while cathedrals were a must medieval monument and the Victorians loved their lifelike statues.

Every age leaves it mark on the landscape and for the last 35 years in the North East, public artwork has ruled.

Now a booklet, featuring 30 examples as a selection from the many artworks in County Durham, has been launched.

It has been sent to over 40 secondary schools and colleges across the county with the aim of encouraging young people to explore the art, architectural qualities, cultural and heritage importance of the installations.

The guide was produced by Commissions North, which is part of Art Council England North East, and Durham County Council.

Rebecca Farley is commissions officer at Commissions North, which acts as a link between artists and organisations seeking to install artworks.

Over the past decade, Commissions North has worked to broker some of the North East’s biggest and most successful public art commissions with the public and private sector by supporting artists with small, flexible design grants.

The North East is now recognised as a leading region in Europe for public art commissioning.

“Several hundred public art projects by a variety of artists have been commissioned in the North East in just the last 10 years,” said Rebecca.

“I think the North East has been at the forefront of public art commissioning.”