01 June 2007
Iconic Halo settles above Rossendale
The first stage in the construction of Halo, the fourth and
final Panopticon in East Lancashire's unique series of 21st-century
landmarks, is now complete.
Designed by John Kennedy of LandLab, the 18m-diameter steel
lattice sculpture is supported on a truncated tripod five metres
above the newly landscaped ground at Top o' Slate, above
Haslingden, in Rossendale. The core is open at the top, framing
views of the sky. The steelwork has a natural silver appearance
which will temper to matt as the galvanised finish weathers.
The second stage of the project, now under way, is the
installation of lighting to create the subtle glow which will give
Halo its identity on the night-time landscape. Trusses, radiating
from the central conical core of the structure, will support
luminous blue rings, lit with low-energy LEDs. The lighting has
been designed to minimise light pollution and to avoid any
disruption to wildlife. The low-level electrical requirement will
be met by an adjacent wind turbine providing a renewable source of
power.
The Panopticons scheme, funded by the Northwest Regional
Development Agency (NWDA), the Northern Way, the Lancashire
Economic Partnership (LEP), Arts Council England North West and
Lancashire County Council, has already created distinctive
landmarks in Blackburn, Burnley and Pendle, and visitors have been
flocking to see them.
Halo promises to be the most exciting of all: in 2006 it was one
of a small number of major pieces of public art to be selected for
investment by the Northern Way as part of its Welcome to the North
programme – a unique scheme to install public artworks at key
gateways across the North to enhance the image of the North,
improve its quality of place and increase tourism and economic
growth.
Comments from key partners
_________________________
Nick Hunt, Director of Mid Pennine Arts
"All the partners have worked long and hard to make this audacious
concept happen. Now we are nearly there. Seeing the Top o’ Slate
site renewed and Halo’s silhouette on the horizon is a real thrill.
When, very soon, we can throw the switch on Halo’s evening glow, it
will be a fitting climax to the Panopticons project – and a
spectacular new feature for Pennine Lancashire and for the Northern
Way."
Charlotte Carpenter, Interim Director of the Northern Way
“I am delighted to see such a prestigious landmark now taking
shape. It is the first of a small number of truly iconic artworks
funded by the Northern Way as part of our Welcome to the North
programme. All the artworks will be positioned at key locations
across the North, serving to enhance positive perceptions and
benefit the economy.”
Carolyn Wilkins, Chief Executive of Rossendale Council
“Halo is a unique and distinctive landmark for Rossendale which
will help put the borough on the map and attract visitors.
Rossendale has a fantastic natural environment and Halo symbolises
our desire to harness the natural environment to drive the
regeneration of the borough.”
Ian Whittaker, Policy & Partnerships Manager for Lancashire,
NWDA
“The Panopticons project aims to develop real assets for Pennine
Lancashire, adding to its splendid cultural, industrial and
environmental heritage. From our perspective, this is part of the
jigsaw of building the image of Pennine Lancashire as a great place
in which to live, visit and do business – a priority for the
Agency. To add to this, Halo's inclusion on the Northern Way's
'Welcome to the North' programme will ensure a greater depth of
interest in the artworks from the tourism market. Positioning art
at key gateways across the North will not only ensure an ongoing
interest in Pennine Lancashire but also provide iconic landmarks
for the North as a whole."
Dennis Taylor, Chief Executive of the Lancashire Economic
Partnership
“We are proud to be part of this ground-breaking project and we
believe that this iconic feature, which will be visible for miles
around, will not only be a striking landmark, but will contribute
substantially in distinguishing the sub-region as a unique
destination for visitors and investors alike”.
Notes to editors
1. Attached images of Halo by Nigel Hillier.
2. The Northern Way, a unique collaboration led by the three
Northern Development Agencies working with partners including Arts
Council England to close the economic productivity gap between the
North and the rest of England, is investing £4.4 million in iconic
works of art as part of an innovative £10 million cultural
programme across the North.
The Welcome to the North programme (part of the Northern Way’s
Market the North to the World investment priority) is a unique
programme that will see a small number of major pieces of art
positioned at key gateways across the North and is the most
ambitious public art programme ever carried out on such a scale in
the UK.
The Northern Way is investing in the works of art to enhance the
North’s image and help change people’s perceptions. As well as
raising the profile of the North and increasing tourism and
economic growth, the Northern Way believes the public art programme
will also improve its quality of place.
2. Halo is the centrepiece of a wider partnership scheme
which has reclaimed and returned to public use 33 hectares of land
owned by Rossendale Council, including the former landfill site of
Top o' Slate and the adjacent Duckworth Clough. The scheme was led
by the REMADE in Lancashire programme, set up by Lancashire County
Council in partnership with the Northwest Regional Development
Agency to recover neglected land for uses such as landscaped open
space, play areas, new planting, nature reserves, footpaths,
cycleways and bridleways.
3. Contractors and consultants working on Halo are:
A D Morton Ltd, Structural Steelwork and Fabrication, Bacup,
Lancashire
Booth King Partnership, Consulting Civil & Structural
Engineers, Rawtenstall, Lancashire
C C Vision, Lighting Design Consultants, Peterborough
The K A Wing Group, Peterborough – lighting contractor
S K L, Bolton – lighting supplier & manufacturer
Rotary Engineering, Sheffield – wind turbine installers
Bowman Riley Health & Safety – planning supervisors
Groundwork Rossendale – project management
Christian Barnes, Visual Arts Projects – public art
consultant
4. The education and creative arts programme Land offered
schoolchildren and local people the opportunity to work with
professional artists to enhance their own surroundings as part of
the regeneration process symbolised by the Panopticons. Rossendale
has supported an active programme of community engagement,
including the creation of a unique shoe trail leading from
Rawtenstall railway station to the Panopticon site, a time-capsule
for burial on the site, a story-writing competition, a webcam
project, a series of public walks and a celebratory event to
welcome Halo. Visit www.land.uk.net
5. Panopticons and Land are projects of the East Lancashire
Environmental Arts Network (ELEAN), which aims to demonstrate the
positive role of the arts and cultural activity in the social,
economic and physical regeneration of East Lancashire. ELEAN is
managed by Mid Pennine Arts and supported by the Northwest Regional
Development Agency, the Lancashire Economic Partnership, Arts
Council England North West, the Northern Way, Lancashire County
Council, REMADE, Elevate East Lancashire, the East Lancashire
Groundwork Trusts, United Utilities, Lancashire Small Sites, the
local authorities of Blackburn with Darwen, Burnley, Hyndburn,
Pendle, Ribble Valley and Rossendale, Pendle Leisure Trust and
Rossendale Leisure Trust.
6. Contacts for further information:
• Panopticons: Margaret Wyatt, Project Marketing Consultant,
0161 439 8184 or Gayle Knight, Marketing Officer, Mid Pennine Arts,
01282 421986
• Northwest Regional Development Agency: John Greenway, Press
Officer, 01925 400552
• The Northern Way: Sarah Banks, Senior PR Account Manager at
Gardiner Richardson, 0191 261 4250
• Lancashire Economic Partnership: Narina Riskowitz,
Communications Officer, 01254 300491
• Rossendale Borough Council: Nick Molyneux, Communications
Manager, 01706 238604