Elbow Room are looking to appoint an artist onto the design team to work with Bridgend County Borough Council on the Elder Yard area regeneration. Deadline 4th July.

BACKGROUND
Bridgend County Borough Council (BCBC) has appointed Elbow Room to develop and implement a public art programme for Bridgend Town Centre. Bridgend is situated on the River Ogmore between Swansea and Cardiff and has developed from the 15th Century to become an important market town and regional industrial centre.

BCBC, the Welsh European Funding Office and the Welsh Government (WG) are working in close partnership to deliver a co-ordinated and phased programme of public realm improvements in Bridgend Town Centre. The authority has recently secured funding to undertake these improvements through a bid to the European Convergence Programme and the WG.

The project aims to improve the environment and accessibility of the town centre, increase footfall, complement existing development projects and help stimulate future investment in the town centre. It is hoped that this will be achieved through a number of key strategies including improved gateways, enhancing the quality of the environment and historic character, and creating a vibrant and accessible visitor destination. Artworks are being commissioned for key sites within the development area with the aim that they will add to the ongoing environmental enhancements. This is the third in a series of projects. There is currently a sculptural seating area being constructed for Cheapside and an artist-in-residence in the town centre.


THE PROJECT
This project centres around Elder Street and Cross Street at the heart of the Bridgend Town Centre conservation area and the area encompassed by Adare Street, Dunraven Place, Wyndham Street and Caroline Street, known as Elder Yard. These narrow lanes surrounded by listed buildings form a discreet ‘triangle’ in the centre of the main shopping area that is the subject of a phased programme of investment by the private sector. The first phase, which will be completed this year, involves the conversion of a terrace of listed cottages at 3-11 Elder Street into a restaurant with courtyard. Subsequent phases of the programme include refurbishments and extensions to No.3 Cross Street, the Victoria Inn Public House (No.7 Adare Street) and 2-4 Wyndham Street to incorporate new retail units and office space. In addition, a new retail development is proposed for the vacant site which lies opposite to the listed cottages (2-10 Elder Street).

This private sector investment is being complemented by the upgrading of the surrounding environment, including high quality natural materials, road resurfacing, pavements and improved street lighting, which are planned to take place in 2013. It is anticipated that these small back streets will start to receive more pedestrian traffic as a result and become a thoroughfare/shortcut through the town centre, as well as becoming a destination quarter in its own right.

The key objectives for the art work commission are to more effectively integrate Elder Yard with the town centre, and entice pedestrians into the site through the three key gateways at Cross St/Dunraven Place, Wyndham Street and Adare Street.

At the eastern end of Elder Street, where it eventually connects to Caroline Street a development is also currently underway (known as Elder Mews) that will include a new café with courtyard, restaurant, bar, offices and residential accommodation. The scheme is being taken forward by the same owners/developers as Elder Yard and follows the same design and quality principles.

The two developments will be linked by new public realm along the length of Elder Street and an opportunity exists under this commission to consider how the link may be further emphasised at the key Adare Street intersection where art could become integrated within the public realm at this crossroads.

The Elder Yard area has great historical significance and has a number of listed buildings. It is also believed, although no proof has been established as yet, that it may have been part of the ancient Pilgrims route to St David's in Pembrokeshire. Artworks that highlight the area's historical and architectural features subtly and sensitively are therefore encouraged.

The theme of the artworks should be developed out of the research period and inspired by the context of the site. It is not necessarily envisaged that the art work (or works) will be free standing in nature, and the artistic approach will be to integrate ideas into the design to create a better quality public realm.

We are seeking applications from artists who would like be part of BCBC’s design team for this scheme, to lead investigations and research into the Elder Street area, and then propose a series of integrated artwork enhancements that focus on:

• The 3 points of entry into Elder Yard.
• The quality of the public realm within Elder Yard.
• Public realm at the Adare Street/Elder Street intersection.
• The gateway into Elder Street East off Adare St.

All work installed should be robust and low maintenance, with the acknowledgement of health & safety issues. At the design stage, the artist will be required to provide details on the maintenance implications of their proposals.


THE ARTIST
The artist will be experienced in public art projects and working as part of a design team, or able to demonstrate an understanding of design for public realm and how their interests and practice is relevant to the project. They will be self-motivated and pro-active with an interest in engaging with the people who live in the area. They will be well aware of the requirements of health & safety, structural, maintenance and other issues and able to converse with contractors and other professionals. It will be necessary for the appointed artist to have £5Million Public Liability Insurance.


TIMESCALE
The project will run from August 2012 to December 2013
Artist selection by August 2012
Artist research, proposal and design phase – August 2012 to December 2012
Fabrication/installation – Public realm works at Elder Yard are due to start in Jan 2013. The integrated artworks will be fabricated and installed at suitable points throughout the regeneration works during 2013, a timescale for which will be established during the design phase.

The Artist will liaise with Elbow Room, the client (BCBC) and the contractor appointed to carry out the regeneration works to ensure that deadlines, budget and other project details are adhered to.


BUDGET
The overall arts budget for this project is £105,000 (exclusive of VAT) and includes artist fees, research and design, any sub-contracted costs, transport, structural reports, materials, fabrication and installation (There is a separate budget for the materials which will be used for the public realm enhancements i.e. paving & street lighting etc. Therefore any artworks which are not integrated within the agreed public realm works are expected to come out of the arts budget).


HOW TO APPLY
To apply for this opportunity, please send a letter stating your interest in the project and outlining why your practice and approach would be suitable (no more than one side A4) and a current CV. Please also provide a PowerPoint slideshow of recent, relevant work or up to 10 digital images in jpeg or PDF format. Images should be numbered and accompanied by a corresponding list that includes title, date, dimensions, location and media as appropriate.

Please send applications to: info@elbowroom.org.uk




THE DEADLINE FOR RECEIPT OF APPLICATIONS IS 5pm July 4th 2012

Interviews will be held on 16th July 2012 in Bridgend.

The selection panel will be made up of BCBC representatives and Elbow Room.


A full brief is attached that includes a map of the area showing the planned redevelopments.

• download file (pdf - 251k)