Barton Hill Primary School and Childrens Centre – public art programme

“Developing artwork in response to a particular place or context, with people whom the work will affect, demands a flexibility that relies upon a belief in the value of such processes and a consequent commitment to their evolvement”. Dr Roz Hall (Evaluation excerpt)

Lead Artists: Annie Lovejoy & Mac Dunlop were commissioned in June 2006 by Community at Heart (Bristol City Council), to develop and produce public artwork to be integrated into the new Barton Hill Primary School and Children’s Centre. They have worked collaboratively in response to the artist’s brief and contractual targets to develop work that is relevant to the context of Barton Hill School and community.

The works produced recall the processes and participation of the children involved and reflect the ecological focus of the new building.(more details accessed via thumbnails on right)

A web resource/blog traces the progress of the building and artworks whilst also providing information on local initiatives and educational curricular activities related to ecology.

See PDFs below for Public Arts Programme Publication / Evaluation Report and pre-commission background details

UPDATE 2009 – project featured in CABE publication Creating Excellent Primary Schools

for further information see PDF(s):

Project Publication (3.0MB)

Celebrating young peoples involvement in generating artworks inspired by the ecological design and construction of the new building. Insites: Barton Hill Primary School and Children’s Centre Public Art Programme, edited by Annie Lovejoy, Roz Hall and Mac Dunlop. RiO. (2008) ISBN 978-1-906687

Evaluation Report – Dr. Roz Hall (859KB)

Dr. Roz Hall currently works as a research and evaluation consultant, across a spectrum of artistic practice, and a variety of organisations, to support artists and project directors and facilitators, to evaluate the work they conduct. Roz is also visiting lecturer and a PhD supervisor at Birmingham City University.

Creating Excellent Primary Schools (4.5MB)

This guide for clients published by CABE (Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment) features the Barton Hill project.

establishing the project framework & commissioning process (321KB)

Report by Scott Farlowe on working with children and project partners to establish the Public Art Programme framework and commissioning process

project background and artists brief (263KB)

document outlining the background of the project and the commissioning brief for artists.

Stage 1. Research and development

Resulting in initial concept designs and proposal for SHED (SHarED) – a physical space for experimentation, events and web log. The artworks designed for the new building would be generated through a process-led, inclusive and site responsive approach (see PDFs below).

for further information see PDF(s):

Initial concept designs (449KB)

1) Entrance & Library Glazing
2) Responsive sound activated light feature
works to be generated via participatory processes >SHED

SHED (SHarED) (779KB)

• a bit of magic
• a new space for everyone to use
• a peephole into the construction site
• a conversation piece of involvement & curiosity
• a focus for learning about ecology & the environment
• a site of social networking for staff, parents & children
• a place to explore ideas, collect things, document processes & have fun

Entrance Glazing Artwork

for further information see PDF(s):

Entrance Glazing (479KB)

Design and outcome

Corridor glazing Artwork

for further information see PDF(s):

Corridor Glazing (980KB)

Design & outcome

Nursery Window Artwork

for further information see PDF(s):

Nursery window (4.5MB)

design and outcome