It will bring together businesses, established and emerging artists, community groups and schools, and create a 10-week outdoor art trail throughout summer 2020.
A flock of 25 super-sized, decorated swans will nestle into new homes around the town and its open spaces. The trail will be easy to walk in a day and will give local people and tourists alike a chance to rediscover some of the hidden gems of our town.
Now, businesses and artists have just a few
weeks left if they want to be part of the project, which will also raise funds for
the Burton & District YMCA.
My good friend and colleague Tilley Bancroft, of the
award-winning Red Door Studios, had the idea for Burton Swans and is the project manager. She's thrilled that it’s all going swimmingly.
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Tilley Bancroft |
Tilley said: “We’ve had fantastic support from
businesses of all types and sizes, ranging from Marston’s Brewery and Vodafone
to micro-businesses and sole traders. There’s still a chance for more businesses
to get involved, and for artists to submit designs, until the last day of
December 2019.”
A mobile app is being developed that will unlock surprises, rewards or special offers from the swan sponsors when anyone finds their swan.
The next exciting step comes at the end of January there will be a
design exhibition in Burton where sponsors – or ‘swan-sors’ - can choose the design they
want for their swan and network with other project partners. Artists whose
designs are chosen will receive a £500 honorarium once they have completed their
swan artwork.
The swans, which are 1.5 metres tall, will sit on a plinth inscribed with the details of their sponsor, or sponsors. Tilley added: “For businesses that don’t have the budget to sponsor a swan on their own we can put them together with other businesses to share the cost. Opportunities start from £250.”
Adam Bates, marketing manager from Hardy Signs, has explained that the Burton Swans project had instant appeal for them.
He said: “We recognised the project as a great
opportunity to celebrate creativity, heritage and community spirit. We’re
delighted to be involved and we are sure the project will have a hugely positive
impact, inspiring pride across the town. It’s also fitting that, in the
process, the project will help those in our community who need it most through
the incredible work of the Burton & District YMCA.”
In October 2020, the swans will be auctioned to raise funds for Burton YMCA’s work with the homeless and people in crisis.
Getting into the Christmas spirit, over at Burton's Brewhouse Arts Centre, Tilley and her team have been decorating one of the swans.
The Brewhouse is also part-subsidising the cost of an artist
visiting local schools with a smaller cygnet sculpture for pupils to decorate. Support for the schools' project has also
come from the Transforming the Trent Valley fund.
Would-be sponsors and artists can also contact Tilley on tilley@burtonswans.co.uk or call her on 07752 745035.
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