£60,000 secured to commission and design new public art in Tunbridge Wells

Got some serious artistic flair? Read on if so, as we've just heard the news that Tunbridge Wells Borough Council has secured over £60,000 of funding to commission and install three feature pieces of public art to further enhance our beautiful town.

These pieces of artwork will be displayed at various points along the 21st Century Cycle Route, running from the main shopping area in the town centre, close to the Royal Victoria Place Shopping Mall, and which goes north-eastward (following the mainline railway) through quiet residential areas and parks to the out-of-town shopping and industrial area of Longfield Road.

TWBC are seeking expressions of interest from artists and designers to respond to a single or combination of the three available sites, to create site-responsive work and work with local communities as part of the commission process.

The sites are Jack's Wood Spring (a landscaped and grassed area opposite a children's playground and within a new development of flats and houses) which has a budget of £24,000. Site two is the Grassy Knoll (on one side of the Grosvenor Road bridge) with the same budget, and finally, site three is on the North Farm Industrial Estate Nature Reserve, which has a budget of £12,000.

The commission offers the opportunity to produce a significant piece of work that will become a permanent fixture in a vibrant townscape where art is enjoying an increasing profile. Up to 6 x shortlisted artists will be offered a £250 development grant per commission, to further design the artwork.

The project is open to multi-disciplinary design teams, individual artists or groups, and the deadline for submissions is Sunday 6 November 2011, 11.59 pm. For more information please contact Polly Harknett or Suzie Plumb on 01892 554171.