Great Yarmouth's exciting new sculpture trail on target with planning application submitted

Work on the eleven sculptures is continuing and a planning application for their installation has now been submitted by Great Yarmouth Borough Council and will be considered at a meeting at the end of February.

The artworks were commissioned last year to create a major new cultural trail for the town. The £330,000 project has been funded by the Government via Town Deal finance, and the ambitious trail will consist of ten sculptures - focusing on themes of maritime and medieval history, arts heritage, seaside, transport and energy.

The aim is to create a rich and involving experience for locals and visitors. Meanwhile, an additional £50,000 of Government Future High Streets funding was secured to commission an additional sculpture as part of the improvement works currently underway at the Market Place.

To be positioned at the southern end of the Market Place, well-known Bungay artist Mark Goldsworthy will create 'Yarn with Ernie', a tribute to the people of the town using the late Great Yarmouth artist Ernie Childs as inspiration.

Councillor Carl Smith, leader of Great Yarmouth Borough Council, said: ''We were delighted to secure Government funding for what will be an exciting new attraction for our town. The trail will enhance our public spaces for the community and improves our tourism offer.

''We have an incredibly rich and vibrant range of sculptures that I know people will take to their hearts and that will be a real asset for the borough.''

As part of the planning process for the trail, impact assessments have been carried out for those sculptures that will be close to trees and Norfolk County Council has issued licences for artworks that are on its land.

Wilson Architectural Services has been contracted to make sure the sculptures are installed safely and the company agreed to carry out the work for free because its director, Terry Wilson, lives in Great Yarmouth and is an enthusiastic supporter of the project and what it will bring to the town.

While creating the sculptures, two of the artists worked with East Norfolk Sixth Form students to help shape the designs. Steven Anwar, the creator of 'VORTEBREATH', held two workshops and students provided wording for his sculpture. Stuart Langley, the artist responsible for 'Heart GY', worked with students to help create the final design for his piece.

Five sculptures have already been delivered ahead of installation, with the remaining pieces due over the next two months.

The sculptures will provide an outdoor gallery and circular walking route from the Market Place to the seafront, taking in St George's Road and park, Regent Road and Church Plain.

The trail is designed to celebrate Great Yarmouth's cultural diversity and create a sense of pride in place, strengthening the town's reputation as a walkable town which connects people with their heritage, culture and natural environment.

The free-to-access outdoor gallery will also include volunteering and training opportunities for local people. As part of the project, the trail will also feature a specially commissioned section of tiled paving outside Christchurch created by Great Yarmouth's Reprezent Project to reflect the cultural impact of the town's Portuguese community.

The sculptures were commissioned following an open procurement process, and the council worked with organisations, including the Royal Society of Sculptors and Norfolk and Suffolk Art Forums, to invite submissions before councillors, officers and representatives from The Arts Council and Historic England, selected the pieces from a total of 98 submissions.

The artworks celebrate the best of Great Yarmouth, from its role as a circus capital, its maritime and medieval history, through to its embracing of clean energy and transport links.

Councillor Smith added: ''This exciting trail will offer our residents and visitors the opportunity to see first-class public art and give people a chance to explore Great Yarmouth and discover more about the town.''