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• Putting Big Art on the map

About us

The Big Art Project

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 at the end of November 2008.

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.

And, it will leave an enduring legacy of new works of contemporary art by internationally renowned artists across the UK, as well as 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