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The Big Art Project

The four-part Big Art series on Channel 4 is on each Sunday evening at 7pm until 31 May

The Big Art Project is a public art initiative from Channel 4 supported by Arts Council England and The Art Fund and seeks to inspire and create new works of public art, commissioned by communities, as well as debating the importance of art in the built environment.

The series will focus on the seven sites that were nominated by local inhabitants for a piece of public art to be commissioned including Burnley, Sheffield, Newham and Mull.

It starts on Sunday 10 May at 7pm and runs for four weeks. For more information and to see the trailers that have been made visit the Big Art website

What happens when local communities get the chance to work with acclaimed international artists and commission their own public works of art?

Arts Council England believes art and culture should be at the heart of regeneration. Art touches everyone: it can create a sense of belonging and pride in the places where we live and improve our quality of life, which is why we are a main partner in The Big Art Project.

The Big Art Project
The Big Art Project is an ambitious public art commissioning initiative from Channel 4, supported by Arts Council England and The Art Fund, to inspire and create new public art across the UK. It began with an invitation to the public around the UK to explain why their community would benefit from a new piece of public art, made to their brief and created by the artist of their choosing.

Seven sites chosen
The response was overwhelming. Almost 1400 applications were received from communities across the UK. After some extremely difficult decision-making, seven sites were chosen:

• Beckton


• Belfast


• Burnley


• Cardigan


• Isle of Mull


• Sheffield


• St.Helens

Each site is very different from the next. The ambitions of the communities are also different, making every project unique. Each community has been asked to find funding, choose an artist, get involved with the process and help realise the dream. Progress is being filmed for a major Channel 4 series to be broadcast in May 2009.

But it’s much more than a television series
Through websites, community engagement programmes and other activities it will encourage greater public participation, debate and engagement with art in general. We hope it will inspire people to become involved in creating more art in public places across the country.

The Big Art Project will leave a legacy of new works of contemporary art by internationally renowned artists across the UK, and lay the foundations for further public commissions in the future

Get involved
Lots more information about the project can be found at:
www.channel4.com/bigart
Help create the first digital, interactive map of public art in the UK, visit the Big Art Mob website