Heritage Coast Sculptures

Children and local residents help design four new sculptures destined for the Heritage Coast in 2016. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Creative Rural Communities (CRC) has commissioned artist Howard Bowcott to create four new iconic sculptures along the Glamorgan Heritage Coast. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Local residents joined Howard at public consultations where they offered their thoughts on what makes the Glamorgan Heritage Coast so special. Howard has also spent time with school pupils from St Brides Major Church in Wales Primary, St Illtyd Primary School and Llantwit Major Comprehensive School. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The new sculptures will mark the key entrance points to the Glamorgan Heritage Coast area and have been commissioned as part of an ongoing initiative to raise the profile of the destination to visitors and residents alike. The exact locations are yet to be finalised, but are likely to be at roadsides at Ogmore, St Brides Major, Llantwit Major and St Athan. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Howard specialises in large scale public artworks; his initial concept designs depict large fin or sail like shapes, comprising of layers of locally sourced stone which will represent the cliff strata reminiscent of our coastline. Howard will use both the school children’s and local residents’ ideas to shape the final designs. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Cabinet Member for Regeneration Councillor Lis Burnett said: ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“It’s been fantastic to see local residents offering their thoughts on why the Glamorgan Heritage Coast is so special to them, to help inform Howard’s designs. I am especially pleased so many of our local school children have had the opportunity to be involved which I hope will give them a real sense of pride as the sculptures are later revealed in 2016. The Glamorgan Heritage Coast is a great asset in the Vale of Glamorgan and these features will really highlight the area as something special.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

This commission is part of a collection of works funded by the Vale of Glamorgan Council and the Coastal Communities Fund and is being led by Creative Rural Communities, the regeneration and economic development initiative of the Vale of Glamorgan Council. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Creative Rural Communities is part funded by the Welsh Government Rural Communities Rural Development Programme 2014-2020, which is funded by the Welsh Government and the European Union. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

For more information, please email create@valeofglamorgan.gov.uk or call 01446 704707 ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​