On the 5th of May a group from the OVF, the HBC Public Arts Officer and Sea-Front Development project Manager, travelled to Kingswood in Kent for a guided tour of the sculpture park in the forest. This visit had been proposed by One Two One (OVF Artists SIG) in order to look at how the arts can be developed to benefit the local and wider community within a country Park setting, and to inform the development of a proposal for an Arts Programme for the Ore Valley Greenspace.
Lucy Medhurst, the Education officer for Stour Valley Arts, (SVA), took the party on a 2 hour walking tour through the forest to see the majority of the commissioned works. She gave detailed explanations of the commissioning process for each artwork giving a valuable insight into how the Arts are integrated into the management of the forest as a cultural asset. In particular Lucy talked about how the Artists were supported throughout their residencies, how schemes were funded, and about community engagement.
After the tour the group visited the SVA office and met the director Sandra Drew to talk more generally about issues such as core funding, national and international partnerships, and commissioning policy. Sandra has agreed to act as a mentor for the proposed OV Greenspace Arts proposal.
Supported by the Ore Valley Forum.
