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• Art at the heart of Castleford
• Artist residencies with architects
• International artist commissions
• Heritage trails
• Sagar Street gallery

About us

Art at the heart of Castleford

An urban renewal initiative that set out to improve the public spaces of Castleford, West Yorkshire was the subject of a major new Channel 4 series in August 2008 – Channel 4’s Kevin McCloud and the Big Town Plan

The last five years have seen a series of projects across the town including the design of a new town square, the creation of several new facilities for local children and the design and build of a major new footbridge.

The Castleford Project is supported by a partnership between Channel 4, Wakefield Council, local community and civic groups and other regional agencies including Arts Council England, Yorkshire.

Thousands of local people were involved in the project and important new work was commissioned from national and international designers and artists. The initiative has been credited with leveraging over £200m of additional investment into the town. It has also won extensive praise for its best practice in urban regeneration and has attracted international interest.

Arts Council England, Yorkshire has been actively involved as a funder and member of the project steering group and has, in partnership, delivered several programmes of activity.

How our investment has helped
The arts and artists have a vital role to play in the planning and design of high-quality spaces and in creating vibrant communities – places where people want to live, work and play.

Our investment was designed to:

• show the benefits of having the arts and artists closely involved in the design of public spaces


• demonstrate the value of the arts in actively engaging communities with regeneration projects


• increase opportunities for people in Castleford to engage in high quality arts experiences


• provide an example of excellence that other places can learn from


Websites
Channel 4’s Kevin McCloud and the Big Town Plan

Artist residencies with architects
Artist Pierre Vivant was funded to work on the designs for Moore Square with Hudsons Architects and Martin Richman was funded to work with DSDHA architects on a lighting scheme as part of the Tittle Cott underpass scheme. (more...)

International artist commissions
In partnership with Yorkshire Sculpture Park, we commissioned significant international artists to work with the town to develop artworks that respond to Castleford and the scale and ambition of its regeneration including Wolfgang Winter and Berthold Hörbelt and Carlos Garaicoa. (more...)

Heritage trails
Developing a series of Heritage trails around the town had long been an ambition of Castleford Heritage Group. Our funding allowed the group to recruit a writer in residence, Ian Clayton, and an artist in residence, Harry Malkin. (more...)

Sagar Street gallery
A former shop in Sagar Street has been refurbished as an exhibition space and community venue. 2 Sagar Street has held exhibitions, community consultations, arts workshops and continues to be a central focus for arts and culture in the town. (more...)

Environmental improvements
We supported artist Chris Campbell to work in partnership with Groundwork Wakefield, Wakefield Council, Cutsyke Community Group, Parklife and Airedale College, on a range of environmental improvements to the Waterfront, Cutsyke Community Garden and the Castleford Green play space.

For further information about art and The Castleford Project contact:
Tamsin Curror
Communications Officer
Arts Council England, Yorkshire
Phone: 01924 486238
Email: tamsin.curror@artscouncil.org.uk