The Voice of Spalding and South Holland
Those behind a £35,000 artwork to brighten up a dingy Spalding passageway say it can’t be moved despite a councillor calling for that to be looked at.
Transported Arts is already working with schools on the design intended for Abbey Passage.
It and South Holland District Council gained a £30,000 lottery grant from the Arts Council with the rest coming from money allocated by the authority.
But at a recent meeting of Spalding Town Forum, Coun Gary Taylor threw doubt on the artwork.
“If the work is not started there’s the opportunity to reconsider it,” he told the forum. “Hopefully we can invite Transported to work with us to get what we want to see.
“Transported has received the money the Arts Council but if majority of our residents are against it, let’s listen.
“If there’s data and it’s not the vocal minority and they’ve not started the project and have got the enthusiasm and skills to look at moving the location, that’s what I believe we need to do.”
But Transported Arts say the money was specifically allocated for Abbey Passage and would be withdrawn if moved elsewhere.
A spokesman for the charity, which provides arts projects around South Holland and Boston, also said it was something requested by the Spalding Town Centre Steering Group.
“The recognition of the need to improve certain areas of the town, and the potential for artworks to assist with this, came from a group of community organisations and stakeholders, brought together by SHDC as a subgroup of the Town Centre Regeneration steering group,” the spokesman said. “The specific idea for Abbey Passage was taken up by the Town Forum and Transported were asked to lead on the project, including applying for Arts Council funding via South Holland District Council.
“The £30k grant must be used on arts only, it was secured by this Arts Council grant application.
“We appreciate the comments that have been made by the public highlighting other areas of need, which we do not dispute, but this funding was secured only because we put this project forward for it, so cannot be used elsewhere.
“If we hadn’t have applied for it, a different area would have been granted and this funding wouldn’t be being spent in Spalding.
“The first phase of workshops with schools have been very well received, hundreds of tiles have been completed and are being glazed and fired.
“The second phase, sessions with community groups, will start in September.
“Because a relatively small number of people have objected isn’t in itself reason to relocate, and we shouldn’t lose sight of the fact that it was suggested as a catalyst to improve the area. We have solid evidence from regeneration projects the team have managed in Sleaford (Sleaford Pride Town regeneration public realm programme) and more recently in Boston (Station to Stump), that community created artworks can, and do, lead to others coming together behind the art intervention in helping to change anti-social behaviour.
“We will continue to talk to stakeholders to make sure the project has the best chance of having the most positive impacts possible.”
Coun Taylor said following the meeting: “It’s a new town forum and council, let us have proper consultation and ideas and debate.
“Let’s make more of the town forum. I understand the steering group and local businesses were are in favour of Transported’s work.”
He also called for the passage to be gated.
“I don’t think there’s any reason why you can’t do both,” he said.
