Hove Plinth will be a brand new cultural attraction that promises to bring inspiring public sculpture to the Brighton & Hove seafront
What we want to achieve
We will create a seafront site for public art by installing a new sculpture plinth on the King’s Esplanade at the foot of Grand Avenue in Hove. This is a community venture initiated and managed by Hove Civic Society and funded by private donations, grants and contributions in kind for the benefit of all who live and work in Brighton & Hove and come here to visit.
The Hove Plinth will be used for changing displays of sculpture, inspired by the Fourth Plinth in Trafalgar Square. Uniquely, the Hove Plinth will be equipped with innovative digital technology to make viewing the sculptures an interactive experience.
Our aim is to inspire, delight and surprise. Hove Plinth will bring new audiences to art and spearhead a new era of public art in Brighton and Hove.
” It’s a fantastic opportunity for any artist to put a work of art on a plinth, on the beach, with the sea as a backdrop - Venus de Milo would have given her right arm for that” Pierre Diamantopoulo, Sculptor
How it will work
The Hove Plinth will exhibit a changing progamme of public art to celebrate local, national and international artistic excellence. Works will be commissioned specifically for the Hove Plinth and acquired through loans. Major works will be displayed for up to 18 months and the site will also be provide a platform for short-term displays, performances and events in collaboration with local organisations and schools.
The Plinth will combine a traditional design, to chime with the conservation area, with capabilities for light, sound and movement and interactive mobile technology.
Planning permission and a licence for the use of the site has been agreed by the city council. In 2015 we selected the first three sculptures to go on the plinth (see images below) , following a national call to artists, supported by a development grant from Arts Council England. The sculptures
Our long term ambition is that the sculptures remain in the city once they have been displayed on the plinth, creating a lasting legacy of public art - a city of sculpture.
About Project Creator:
Hoveplinth
Hove Civic Society, is the lead organisation behind the Hove Plinth. We are a registered charity founded in 1960 with the object of stimulating community interest in the beauty, history and character of Hove and its surroundings. We are passionate about improving the local environment and feel strongly that public art has the power to enrich our lives and inspire us to experience our surroundings in new ways.
Our Public Sculpture Project Group is responsible for the project’s development. As a civic initiative we rely on dedicated input from skilled and committed professionals giving their time for free. The project group includes professionals with experience in public sculpture, sculpting practice, curating, fundraising, communication and business management. Expert advice on engineering and design is provided by HOP Civil and Structural Engineers and Millimetre Ltd. The project manager, Karin Janzon has previously curated successful art exhibitions in Brighton & Hove. We have partner agreements for collaboration with Brighton & Hove City Council and the Royal Pavilion and Museums and received a development grant from Arts Council England in 2015. Our patrons are Sir Timothy Sainsbury and the eminent sculptor Philip Jackson CVO, DL, FRBS.
Link to the Project:
