Public Arts Funding Initiative

By Nige on Tue 25 Jun 2024 at 16:11
Type: Page

As part of the original planning application, Bloor Homes agreed to make money available to the district council to spend on works of art on The Dovecote. With interest over the years, we now have £47,000 available to us.

We started work on this initiative in 2022, but work had to be put on hold due to a delay in handover.

Progress in 2022

The original presentation by our VWHDC Arts Development Officer can be found below.

This initiative was put on hold mid-2022. This was due to the fact that the installation of works of arts on The Dovecote would need land owner approval. The land is currently owned by Bloor Homes Ltd and installation of works of art would complicate the handover process.

Due to recent progress on handover, things have recently started moving again!

The Band has Reformed in 2024!

The original small team got together again for the first time on Wed 8th May 2024. We agreed a way forward and came up with the following plan:

Re-engage with the residents and ask for ideas and ask for new volunteers.
Update the RA’s website and use that as a primary communication channel, together with the Facebook Group, working hand-in-hand.
Start things off with a small arts project: to establish a noticeboard to be located at the front of The Dovecote. See below for more details.
Secure support from the residents to taking this first project forward.
Once installed, the noticeboard will help to engage with those residents that are not online. That makes sure we are fully inclusive.

A list of projects currently underway can be found below:

Project One: A Noticeboard at the Entrance

Our District Council rep has provided some examples of noticeboards, to spark some interest. See below:

We now have a Project Brief, which is included below. This will be issued to potential artists shortly, but we need support from the residents!

In order to progress with this project, we need to secure support from the residents. Residents can vote in support (or against) of this project using the Arts Project One voting form. Voting will conclude on Fri 31/05/2024.

Project Two: TBC

Details of the next project will appear here.

Project Three: TBC

Details of the next project will appear here.

Next Steps

Assuming we secure support from residents, work will progress on Project One. Once installed, this will allow us to better, and more inclusively engage with all residents on The Dovecote.

We will then initiate further work on selecting additional arts projects to pursue.

Open to New Members and New Ideas!

Since 2022, new residents have moved into The Dovecote and there will be new ideas about how we can spend the available arts funding.

So, if you want to get involved, just get in contact with TDRA via our Contact Us page.