New piece of artwork for Battlefield in Shrewsbury

News from our partners Veolia

Veolia, the waste contractors for Shropshire Council, have today put out a call for local artists to submit plans for a new piece of art as part of a Public Art Scheme.

The purpose of the Public Art Scheme is to commission an artist to design, create and install a work of art, as part of the development of Battlefield Energy Recovery Facility (ERF) in Shrewsbury.

The new artwork will be sited at the roundabout on Vanguard Way, at the entrance to the new ERF.

Veolia are building an ERF on a site adjacent to the existing Household Recycling Centre and Transfer Station at Battlefield Enterprise Park, Vanguard Way, Shrewsbury. Construction began in October 2012 and the facility will be operational in 2015.

As part of the project, artists are being asked to engage with local schools and other interested groups as part of the design process.  They are asked to consider the management of waste in the environment, and in particular the principles of the waste hierarchy to reduce, reuse, recycle and recover energy.

It is hoped that the chosen artist will also consider the significance of the site’s history and heritage, located next to the registered battlefield.

Speaking about the project, Steve Mitchell, General Manager for Veolia, said:

“This is an exciting project, and the brief has been deliberately left open to encourage imagination of design.  I hope the construction of the facility and its purpose, will inspire artists to engage with members of the local community to achieve a piece which truly reflects Shropshire.”

The artist will be selected by a panel to include representatives from Veolia, Shropshire Council’s arts development team, Shropshire Council’s waste management team, English Heritage and a Member of the Battlefield ERF Community Liaison Group.

A budget allocation of £15,000 has been set aside for this commission, and submission of tenders for the project will need to be received by noon on Friday 31 October 2014.  The project will need to be completed before 1 March 2015.

Further information

The ERF will use the residual waste collected from households in Shropshire that is unsuitable for recycling and composting, to make heat and power, instead of sending the waste to landfill.   The facility will undertake the recovery part of the waste hierarchy, and is part of an integrated waste management system that also seeks to reduce, reuse and recycle waste in Shropshire.