Genius Loci

Jeremy Lucas

Barry Shaw MBE

Jeremy Lucas

The Cabinet Member Heritage, Culture & The Arts

Essex was the first County Council to develop and adopt the principle of a public art policy (in the late 1980's) and the first to receive an Art & Architecture Award from the Royal Society of the Arts. As part of our development, a major public art programme of work in 2003 was created, entitled Coast. This was launched as a three year visual arts project and aimed to raise the cultural and aesthetic profile of Essex's coastal area while encouraging better access and appreciation of its landscape, people, history and ecology. With these strong foundations and evidence of successful delivery, approval for further public art funding was granted by the Essex County Council Cabinet to switch to a central budgeting process that now allocates up to 1% of the capital programme and creates a ‘Public Art Common Fund.’

The Public Art Common Fund has now developed into a public art programme entitled Genius Loci (‘Spirit of Place’) with a potential capital spend budget of up to £2.14 million to spring 2010; this is linked to Essex County Council's major capital development schemes and plays an integral part in the Essex Design Initiative. A key priority of Genius Loci is to commission artists early in the design process. We currently have a supporting network of over 20 artists working within education, transport, regeneration and community-led public art projects across the County. The response of the artist to the project location and its unique spirit of place is central to our aim of enhancing the visual richness of buildings, roads, landscaping and, ultimately, the image of Essex.

Throughout our commissioning process the Public Art Strategy Group has involved my Cabinet Member colleagues and all relevant internal and external partners, together with the local community for each proposal. This collaboration gives strength to every project in its development and delivery. We have therefore been able to commission an exciting variety of lead artists who offer a wide range of experience and current artistic practice, which will eventually fulfil our aims and inform our next programme of work.

This is a long running programme, supported and led through a vision for future public art in Essex and providing creative development for the artists involved. I hope and believe that the beneficiaries are the residents of and visitors to our County.

Jeremy Lucas
Cabinet Member for Heritage, Culture and The Arts
Essex County Council

Barry Shaw MBE

Head of Built Environment, Essex County Council

The built environment of Essex has been shaped by countless generations of human activity, both planned and unplanned. It is imperative that in dealing with the pressures of change at the beginning of the 21st century this generation adds to our heritage with sensitivity and excellence.

The county wide Genius Loci project is underpinned by cooperation. Planning, urban design and public art professionals at Essex County Council are working closely with the district councils in whose areas activity is taking place. Artists are working with developers and town planners, with engineers and architects, with children and their teachers and with town councillors, business and traders. Delivering good design requires shared ambitions and this programme builds on its inclusive approach with the aim of enhancing the visual richness and image of Essex.

The commissioning of artists for the programme has allowed us to build on their role as a cultural avant-garde. They can go out in front with a heightened sensitivity to context, able to create a focus on local identity and sense of place. It will form part of the County's preparation for the London Olympics and accompanying Cultural Festival that will focus attention not only on the capital but also on the surrounding areas providing logistical support with tourism and training.

Genius Loci is a national pathfinder. By working through partnership it is able to make an impact at a regional scale, to help enhance the perception of this County. Our lives are shaped in many ways by the environment and how we live in it. Our belief is that the pioneers and innovators we work with can improve our surroundings by developing the true spirit of Essex and showing that the County is a vibrant place in which to live, work and visit.

Barry Shaw MBE
Head of Built Environment
Essex County Council