Local House Builder Seeking Norfolk Artist For New Commission
Norfolk artists are being invited to bid for a £5,000 commission to produce a piece of public artwork for Hingham. The commissioned work will be placed at the Hops, a site where 88 new family homes are being built.
Norfolk-based house builder Abel Homes is seeking a local artist to create a piece of art which reflects the site’s brewing heritage. The commission is part of the firm’s ongoing public art programme, which has already seen six pieces of public art installed, with a seventh commissioned for a site in Swaffham.
The brief to local artists calls for ideas with a brewing theme, as the site in Hingham was once owned by Charles Crawshay, a 19th century brewer and partner in Youngs, Crawshay and Youngs brewery.
In March Abel Homes launched a specially-commissioned beer from Attleborough brewer Wolf called ‘The Hops Bitter’, which is for sale at the town’s White Hart pub, with a donation from the company of £1 per bottle sold going to a fund to support community projects in Hingham.
“When we build new homes, we are creating new communities as well,” said Maggie Abel of Abel Homes. “We hope that these public artworks will form the hub of these new communities, starting to bind the threads together through sparking conversations and giving a sense of shared ownership – as well as a focal point to stop and chat.
“As a local company, this is also a chance to support our local artistic community, which is why we are seeking a Norfolk-based artist to undertake this latest commission.”
The new artwork will be positioned on a piece of public open space on the new development, which is situated on Norwich Road just to the eats of the town centre. It is expected to be unveiled next summer.
Artists interested in finding out more about the new commission can obtain a copy of the brief from Maggie Abel by calling Abel Homes on 01953 884486, or by emailing maggie@abelhomes.co.uk.
Abel Homes committed to commissioning a new piece of public artwork for each of the sites on which it builds new homes in 2007, and the first work installed was at its Gardeners’ Green site, also in Hingham. Other commissions have been installed at Drayton and Old Catton in Norwich, Shipdham, Watton and Swaffham, with a second piece due to be unveiled in Swaffham in the spring.