Great Yarmouth Borough Council is commissioning a sculpture for the newly landscaped Historic Market Place of Great Yarmouth. The creation of a permanent sculpture that celebrates the culture and heritage of Great Yarmouth, to sit within the regenerated Market Place. The sculpture will build upon the layers of visual interest and character supporting the emphasis of revival and renaissance of the town.

Introduction

Great Yarmouth is going through of period of unprecedented investment and regeneration with a range of interventions, schemes and projects bringing about positive change and building on the town's unique character, heritage, and culture.

This includes a new covered market, landscaping and reviving the medieval town centre.

Alongside this, investment has been received to restore the Winter Gardens site, a new leisure centre, and a new university learning hub together with wholesale improvements to the public realm of the town’s Market Place and beyond.

As part of this programme of investment and regeneration, Great Yarmouth Borough Council is commissioning a sculpture for the newly landscaped Market Place of Great Yarmouth. Our councillors have expressed a desire for this sculpture to be bold, celebratory and an emblem of confidence that demonstrates the forward-looking ambitions of the town and place that is Great Yarmouth and its community in this dynamic new chapter.

Site Considerations

This is an urban setting at the heart of the town centre, within walking distance to the sea and shops.

The Market Place plays a central role in the town’s ambitions, it will host a new university campus/learning centre in a former department store and there is extensive landscaping planned to enhance the existing unique and historic character of the town’s market square, building upon the 800 years of use and evolution for this popular town centre location.

The new artwork installation will form part of the wider Market Place landscaping acting as a key focal point for residents and visitors alike.

The sculpture will be located at the northern end of the Market Place, outside of the historically significant Fishermen’s Hospital and close to Great Yarmouth Minster.

Context

Great Yarmouth has a rich maritime heritage and fishing industry. It is the gateway to the Broads National Park and is one of the most important wetland areas in Europe.

Renewable energy including off-shore wind turbines out at sea on the east side are landmarks in themselves and provide the town with a strong and growing off-shore maintenance supply chain, bringing in hi-tech jobs within the re-designed outer harbour.

It is one of the most important historic towns on the east coast of England with a medieval centre and archetypical 20th-century seaside.

The Market Place is the heart of the town and is a significant open space surrounded on all sides by historic buildings and a town wall. It is entered to the west by a series of narrow alleyways called ‘Rows’ which form a medieval street pattern and with names that are reflective of events and uses for example Body Snatchers and Kitty Witches Row.

Circus, outdoor performance, arts and its entertainment heritage are large parts of local community life and the culture of the town in general - our place-based brand is ‘Our Place is Your Stage’. Amongst other demographics, the town is recognised as having a relatively large international population – including a Portuguese community in the area.

Artwork Brief

“The creation of a permanent sculpture that celebrates the culture and heritage of Great Yarmouth, to sit within the regenerated Market Place. The sculpture will build upon the layers of visual interest and character supporting the emphasis of revival and renaissance of the town.”

The work must be permanent and there is a preference for bronze although other metals (aluminium, corten steel, welded steel, etc.) will be acceptable as will any other permanent material.

A preference is for the installations and works to be figurative to reflect the continued use of the Market Place for nearly a thousand years by people for socialising, trading, playing, living, eating and simply being human.

Integrating seat furniture such as benches for a figure or figures to be seated or clustered around would provide an opportunity for people to interact with, allowing people to be photographed with the sculpture.

The ground surface is made up of concrete paving slabs: consideration will need to be given to the base of the sculpture and installation requirements.

The hope is that sculpture becomes an established part of the town and a bold feature which people identify the town centre and Great Yarmouth with.

Budget

The budget for this commission is up to £50,000 made up of the artist fee and design brief, fabrication and manufacturing.

A detailed breakdown of costs will be required. The sculpture proposal will be assessed on suitability, permeability, theme and costs.

This Design Brief includes:

1.      Development of proposal from initial concept to final design, which includes:

a.      scale
b.      materials used for the sculpture
c.       ongoing maintenance requirements if required
d.      installation requirements and instruction

2.      Liaison with the Borough Council officers and Members and the Great Yarmouth Public Artwork Panel.

3.      Development of a scale model Marquette for presentation and sign-off by the above partners.

4.      Co-operation with a public consultation and engagement process regarding the proposed form.

5.      The development of a design and fabrication brief.

6.      Input and support, to obtain the necessary planning consents.

7.      Overseeing the installation of the commission in line with GYBC’s timeline with their funders.

Timeline

September - November 2023: Procurement: open call for Artists – 6-week submission period

November 2023: Procurement: Shortlisting and Panel decision

November 2023: Announcement and commissioning

November 2023 – April 2024: Development phase

November 2023: MWG decision on location of each piece of artwork

April – August 2024: Manufacturing

Installation: TBC in line with Market Place Public Realm Programme

Completion: TBC in line with Market Place Public Realm Programme

Submission Closing Date

5pm, Friday 10th November 2023