Public Art – What is it good for?

Having just visited two recently erected pieces of public artwork in the north west of England, I was struck not only by their artistic qualities, but also by the effect they have had on their unglamorous surroundings. I wondered in turn about the impact these often expensive projects have on the communities in which they are placed, and have to admit to being very much a fan of these bold visual statements.

The Dream project, a giant girl’s head erected on the site of an old colliery in St Helens, is visible from over a mile away, particularly so from the nearby M62 motorway. It divided opinions when the design was announced, with many people questioning the wisdom of spending over £1m on a piece of art in an area that has suffered severe economic hardship.

Walking up the hill to the base of the statue, it is striking how many people are visiting The Dream. Families walking, runners enjoying the surrounding paths and visitors (such as us) wanting to see this strange looking artwork at close quarters. And it is impressive, its white colour contrasting sharply with the moody grey sky, and the long thin face seemingly changing its gaze as you circle the sculpture.

It has clearly brought an interest to the area, and its impact is evident in the surrounding streets and towns. Only a year or so after being completing, more and more businesses are using the Dream face in their marketing material. It is becoming an iconic symbol of the region, and will undoubtedly have a similar positive effect to that of the Angel of the North in the equally unglamorous Gateshead. There, after initial public hostility to the design, it is now a symbol of pride and is rapidly rivalling the Tyne Bridge as the most instantly recognised symbol of the region. As a valuable marketing tool, it is soon apparent that the money invested in it delivers a strong return.

The same argument can be applied to Anthony Gormley’s Another Place piece of art on Crosby Beach, north of Liverpool. An area that was largely ignored by all other than local people, the beach now enjoys a large number of visitors, coming to admire the multitude of statues scattered over a wide area of the beach, all looking out to sea.
Crosby can now take advantage from these visitor numbers and new businesses develop on the back of these new arrivals, who will be willing to eat, drink and buy on the back of their visit.

I love these exciting and innovating artworks and hope that more local authories have the vision to see the benefits they can bring to their neighbourhoods. And as for us visitors, they are a delight to visit, admire and of course to see a part of the country (or even the world) that we would otherwise have overlooked.