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Kinneil Estate: Public Art Commission

Posted on: 23/07/2019

SA_Falkirk Museum Artefact

Public Art Commission

Kinneil Estate 2019

An experienced artist is sought to design, create and install a new piece of permanent public art for Kinneil Estate in Bo’ness to celebrate its heritage, particularly the Roman influence, and raise the profile of the park as part of the Antonine Wall World Heritage site. This project forms part of a wider “Rediscovering the Antonine Wall” project working across central Scotland to build better connections for communities and visitors along the length of the Antonine Wall. The project is funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, Kelvin Valley and Falkirk LEADER, Falkirk Council and Historic Environment Scotland. The budget for the design, construction and installation of the sculpture is £20,000 and the deadline for completion is February 2020. The Commission is being delivered by the Rediscovering the Antonine Wall project in partnership with Falkirk Community Trust.

Project Scope

The project scope is outlined below. It has been based on initial stakeholder engagement and community research and shortlisted designs will undergo further public consultation.

1.       The piece should have a commanding presence at the entry to the estate and aim to be an iconic image for wider use in promoting Kinneil.

2.       The piece must have a strong, easily identifiable, link to the Roman occupation of the Kinneil Estate and the Antonine Wall World Heritage Site. Please also note that Kinneil Estate on the line of the Antonine Wall and the site contains a Roman fortlet.

3.       Kinneil Estate has a varied and interesting history stretching from medieval times through the development of the steam engine to the modern day. Incorporating references to this history would be of interest, if feasible. Please refer to the document and links provided for historical information.

4.       The piece should incorporate, or have sited next to it, some form of interpretation which explains the piece and promotes exploration of the site. Assistance will be provided from Historic Environment Scotland.

5.       The piece should be clearly visible from the road network but not obscure any sight lines for traffic or otherwise impinge on public safety. Suggested locations are shown on the map included but other suggestions would be considered.

6.       It would be advantageous if the piece advertised Kinneil Estate as a public space as it is not obvious as a park/attraction from the road.

Expressions of interest

Artists are invited to express interest, through submission of indicative ideas, based on the project brief as well as..

•             a rationale, how you would approach the project,

•             thoughts on materials  and installation

•             a relevant portfolio of previous work and experience.

Please  contact Jennifer Ramage, Jennifer.ramage@west-dunbarton.gov.uk to receive the detailed brief, including details for the submission process. The deadline for the expression of interest is  the 18th August 2019 at midnight.

A steering group will short-list up to four proposals, based on the artist’s initial expression of interest along with their proven track-record and portfolio.  All unsuccessful submissions for this first stage will be informed soon after the first round and the short-list selection has been made. Please note that all short-listed submissions will be used for community consultation