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Wakefield's Artwalk
Wednesday 26 November 5-9pm
We are delighted to invite you to join us for the fourth Wakefield Artwalk.
If you enjoyed the previous Artwalks come again and see the same venues with new insides, or explore the ones you missed!
Artwalk offers you the opportunity to savour the delights of exhibitions and open studios as a variety of city centre venues open their doors for the evening.
Start your journey with us here at Beam Gallery, where our latest exhibition, a glass of wine and free parking await you and then check out the other 8 venues.
Our Exhibition for the November Artwallk will be Wood Works, check out the Gallery section of the website for more details.
For more information check out the Art Walk Map!
CABE offering awards of £1,500 to schools!
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The aim of the grant is to promote educational projects that explore architecture or design of buildings, places and green spaces in an imaginative way. The grants are available to teachers in schools in England that work in the 5-19 age range.
For more information check out the CABE website - www.cabe.org.uk
Deadline for applications - 5pm 17 November
Consulting Calderdale
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Beam have been busy conversing, creating and consulting with the young and old of Calderdale. We have been running workshops with two schools in the area as well as with the local community. The aim of these consultations is to gather thoughts and ideas about the future of the former Standard Wire Works site.
Public art, public realm, gateways, bridges, nature trails and play areas have all been explored through creative workshops, working with artists and an urban designer. The information we have gathered will be presented in an ideas book and a short film. These thoughts, opinions and suggestions by the local community will then be passed on to the preferred developers.
The overriding conclusion from the children in the area was that they were less interested in manufactured play equipment and more excited about natural playable spaces, where structures could be made from natural materials. The community were more varied in their opinions and they came up with many interesting ideas. The emphasis was on using local materials and the local context for inspiration.
Building in Context Workshops 2008
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Adding New to Old
One down and one to go! The Building in Context held in Halifax was a great success and for those of you who missed out, don't panic, come along to our Barnsley workshop!
Building in Context aims to inspire confidence in developing successful designs for new development in historic areas and forms part of CABE and English Heritage\'s national training programme.
Discussion, Debate and Practical Activities!
Each session will include a local case study focusing on specific design issues, a site visit highlighting development in a conservation area and an exploration of the functional and contextual implications of development.
These sessions are designed for Design and Heritage Champions, Civic Society Members, Local Authority Officers and Members, Regeneration and Built Environment Professionals.
Barnsley - The Civic: Thursday 11 December 2008: 10.00 - 16.00
Venue: Barnsley Digital Media Centre, County Way
Barnsley, S70 2HG
Case Study: Westgate Canopy, Halifax
Guest Speakers Include: Ian Tod, Director, Allen Tod Architects, Fergus Justice-Mills, Director, The Civic, Phil Hawdon, Partner, Hawdon Russell Architects and Chris Wyatt, Barnsley Council. Chaired by CABE regional representative Helen Farrar.
Participants will gain:
Skills and techniques to use when assessing the context of a proposed development site in a conservation area
An increased understanding of design \'language\'
Interpretation skills when reading maps and plans
Increased knowledge of design in conservation areas
A chance to network with fellow professionals
If you would like to find out more about the sessions or the Building in Context programme please email Kate@beam.uk.net or call on 10924 215550.
We do hope you will be able to join us.
To book your free place please email ann@beam.uk.net or call 01924 215550
Trading Secrets- What happened?
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The last weekend of September Beam hosted a day fun, mystery and information sharing as part of our creative programme for the new Trinity Walk development. The Edwardian Gallery in Wakefield was bustling with filming, drawing, writing, sculpting and mystery exchanging!
The Artist Ana Ospina sitting in her Trading Secrets Stall, was running the great mystery exchange! She was asking the many visitors their thoughts, memories and opinions of Wakefield old and new. They could answer either through creating a poem or taking part in our film. In exchange the participants received a mystery gift, symbolising one of Wakefield’s many groups.
Inside the hall was a vision of the future! Exhibitions and representatives from Wakefield’s new developments were there to discuss Wakefield’s future. Meanwhile the children were busy creating an alternative future for Wakefield – making models of what they would like to see within Wakefield’s new Shopping complex- Trinity Walk.
Through out this frenzy of activity faceless theatre were wondering around as a question and exclamation mark, confused about the mystery happenings. The artist John Welding remained sane as he sketched the days unfolding activities.
For more information about the day contact Kate@beam.uk.net
Ana Ospina – www.fourthwallcreations.com
John Welding - www.johnwelding.comix.org.uk
Faceless - www.facelessco.com
Beam appointed to co-ordinate art for BSF schools
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We are delighted to announce that we have been appointed by leading national construction organisation Taylor Woodrow (who were responsible for the construction of Frank Gehry's Pavillion at the Serpentine this year) to co-ordinate the public art scheme for a major Building Schools for the Future development in Sheffield.
Sheffield City Council and Taylor Woodrow Construction are working together to deliver the programme in Sheffield through the Sheffield Local Education Partnership (L.E.P).
Beam have already worked extensively with other schools engaged in BSF in Barnsley and in Sheffield but are very excited to be working with Taylor Woodrow on this public art scheme.
The scheme will help students, teachers, governers and parents alike to feel ownership of the artwork and its setting by giving them the opportunity to work with the artist during the design phase of the commission, and actively participate in some aspect of the installation of the artwork.
Guided by Sheffield City Council’s Public Art Strategy and BSF Culture (a website resource sponsored by Arts Council England and Sport England), Taylor Woodrow's overarching aim in including elements of public artwork at these new build schools is to: Unite and reflect the character and identity of the whole community of users.
The scheme will cover three schools in Sheffield Newfield Talbot School, Silverdale School and Yewlands School.
For more information about our work on BSF please contact James Moran-Zietek. james@beam.uk.net
Check out the news items opposite for the design briefs. Deadline for submissions 5.00pm Friday 5 September.
Beam Mobile Winner Announced!
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We are delighted to announce the winner of our international design competition - Mobile!
Threefold Architects in collaboration with the Jason Bruges Studios emerged triumphant against fierce competition from other shortlisted practices, Atmos Studio Ltd and Cottrell and Vermeulen.
Beam launched the search to find a design for an innovative, dynamic and highly interactive mobile facility that would stimulate creative engagement, learning and participation earlier this year. The competition received over 40 international entries. It has been funded by Arts Council England and CABE (the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment), with the support of Wakefield MDC and the RIBA.
The panel of judges, which was headlined by international designer Wayne Hemingway and independent architectural advisor Irena Bauman, commented on the very high standard of work from all three short-listed practices in the face of a demanding brief.
Threefold and Jason Bruges Studio’s winning concept is for an unfolding wedge-shaped structure that offers exterior and interior spaces as well as a ‘place portraits’ concept --- information technology that ‘gathers’ information about the sites it travels to. The judging panel felt that Threefold and Jason Bruges exhibited a real grasp of the challenge Beam had thrown down – for a practical, multi-functional facility to get right to the heart of communities, engaging people in the places where they live, work and play – and to do it with delight!
The winning practice will now go on to work closely with Beam and its advisors on a detailed design ready for fabrication. Sponsors to help see the project through to completion are being actively sought.
Beam Executive Director and Panel member Robert Powell said:
“It’s been a real privilege for all of us to see the creative approaches of all three shortlisted practices. Threefold and Jason Bruges Studio’s ‘Wedge’ concept is a worthy winner and we are looking forward to working with them on the next stage. Their concept addresses the practical requirements of the brief but also possesses the ambiguous qualities of art that will arouse curiosity and create impact. Their team’s approach exemplifies Beam’s aims as an organisation bringing together the fields of art, architecture, learning, and public engagement.”
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