Public choose ‘spirit of Belfast’ art piece for Arthur Square - 29 November 2007
Social Development Minister Margaret Ritchie MLA today announced ‘Spirit of Belfast’ as the winning art piece for Arthur Square following a public vote.
The competition stimulated over 3000 votes with the winning design receiving nearly half of them.
The Minister said: “I am confident that the winning sculpture will create a strong focus for Arthur Square and confirm its importance as a key public space within the City Centre. Good public art can add interest and focus to our streets and can contribute to positive memories of Belfast for visitors.
“The commissioned artist Dan George will work with my Department and other City Centre stakeholders to develop his concept, ‘Spirit of Belfast’, as a sculptural work which marks where people meet in the City Centre.”
Artist Dan George said:
“This is an exciting time for Belfast, as the City re-invents herself through regeneration projects. I am delighted that my design was chosen by the public to be a new landmark at Arthur Square, to celebrate the renewal of the City Centre.”
The Arthur Square art piece is part of the £16million ‘Belfast: Streets Ahead’ streetscape improvement project which aims to make the centre of the city safe and welcoming for visitors, local people and investors. Arthur Square, Cornmarket, will also be a major point of access to the new Victoria Square Development.
The Artwork will provide the finishing touch to the refurbishment of Arthur Square and is scheduled to be in place by June 2008.
NOTES TO EDITORS:
1.DSD commenced the procurement process to commission an artist for the Arthur Square artwork in June 07. The method of selection was as follows:
-following the publication of a Design Contest Notice in the Official Journal of the EU an initial short list of 8 artists were selected by the Public Art Selection Jury, appointed by DSD, from a response of approximately 20 applicants;
-the short-listed artists were invited to develop concept sketch designs; and
-the Public Art Selection Jury met on 10 October 07 to consider the concepts and selected a final shortlist of three concepts to be put forward to the public vote.
2.The Selection Panel was made up from representatives from the following organisations:
-Department for Social Development
-Belfast City Council
-Planning Service
-MDUK (Victoria Square developers)
-EDAW (Belfast Streets Ahead design team)
-Belfast Chamber of Trade and Commerce
-Arts Council NI
-Royal Society of Ulster Architects.
3.The public were given the opportunity to view the designs that made the final shortlist and cast their vote through the ‘Belfast: Streets Ahead’ website or by visiting the public exhibition at the Lagan Lookout. The vote was open from October 22 to November 4 2007.
4.The three short listed concepts were : ‘Dancing Tree’, ‘Phoenix Rising’ and ‘Spirit of Belfast’. The Spirit of Belfast design received 46.6% of the public vote while Dancing Tree received 28.8% and Phoenix Rising 24.6%.
5.The ‘Spirit of Belfast’ artist, Dan George, is from New York and his public projects span 30 years. He has worked with a variety of public authorities in New York, Boston, Philadelphia, and in Ireland on the M7 Kildare, the M25 Wexford and Tobin Street, Cork.
6.A budget of £200K has been allocated for the sculptural piece for Arthur Square.
7.Media enquiries to DSD Information Office on 028 9082 9078. Out of office hours, please contact the Duty Press Officer via pager number 07669 715 440 and your call will be returned.
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