The survey about people's views on new public art in Palmers Green reported on last week turns out to be part of a bigger project, Curate Enfield, covering five of the borough's town centres. The other four are Enfield Town, Southgate, Edmonton Green and Angel Edmonton.
Curate Enfield is a "grassroots public art project" and the artwork for each town centre will be developed by "public art champions". In each area a "young art champion" (under 25) and a "local community champion" are being trained and mentored by a local artist, and together they will commission new public art for their town centre.
The project is receiving funding from Arts Council England and the council is making it clear that the money is specifically earmarked for this project (presumably in an attempt, probably in vain, to ward off the inevitable voices protesting about the council spending money on anything that they personally disapprove of).
Palmers Green
As reported last week, the public art team for PG includes Alex McHallam, the artist who created the mosaics on platform 2 at Palmers Green Station, and Aykut Hilmi, owner of Starfish Loves Coffee.
Fill in the Palmers Green survey
Southgate
Five potential sites for new public art in Southgate
For Southgate the art champion is Poppy Medenis, a local art student who also runs poetry workshops in Palmers Green, the community champion is Jane Maggs from Southgate District Civic Voice and the mentor is Dan Maier, the local artist responsible for the Enfield Winter Lights installations that lit up Southgate Station and the Southgate Club.
The Southgate public art team is considering at five potential sites for new artwork, with a view to creating an art trail throughout the town centre with a heritage and literary theme:
- Outside Southgate Library – a community space allowing access to literature and history
- On Southgate Circus – close to the important nationally listed station
- On the pavement by the former police station - next to the Southgate Club, which was originally a Reading Club
- On the pavement by Halifax Bank
- On the pavement by Cynergy Bank – opposite St Andrew’s church at the ‘Asda’ end of the town.
Enfield Town
Enfield Society trustee John Cole is working with two 17 year old local art students, Shan and Aisha, and local professional artist Mark Beattie .
Fill in the Enfield Town survey
Edmonton Green and Edmonton Angel
I currently don't have any information about the projects in the two Edmonton town centres, but will add it when available.