In the current issue of the Beestonian, we have an article about the potential street art project to lift up the tired dull mess that is Beeston Interchange / Birds wall. We can now tell you that the project has taken a huge step forward…
Beeston Square’s old dark walls (down Station Road and adjacent to Beeston Centre’s tram interchange) badly need an aesthetic lift. We are planning a potential Street Art Festival for 2018 – a community regeneration project.
Broxtowe Council have an ‘art budget’ set aside which is £8k (subject to committee approval). Artists are now invited to submit their work – the designs will ultimately be chosen by the council and its planning department but will be shown to the public who should have some say.
To give yourself the best chance of being chosen for this paid commission we suggest your designs are naturalist rather than brutalist. It may also be advantageous to perhaps incorporate Beeston and Chilwell’s heritage and character somehow:
This Blue Plaque booklet is very useful – illustrating the area’s history and personalities https://beestoncivicsociety.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/blue-plaques-of-beeston-chilwell-broxtowe-2017.pdf
We have also put together a Dropbox folder of images/ideas to help inspire; including pictures of the buildings that were demolished for the current 1960s Square we are trying to improve, and more famous residents not featured in the Blue Plaque booklet. https://www.dropbox.com/sh/ecifyn29eros6z9/AAC6d6ttJN-u136ZsiayHAIPa?dl=0
Please do submit your designs to BeestonStreetArt@gmail.com by 31/8/17 if you would like to take part and join our Facebook group ‘Beeston Street Art Festival’ to stay in touch. https://www.facebook.com/groups/178727832631780/
Best of luck!
