Talking Public Art

For our final episode in Series 3 we talk to Birmingham-based landscape architect, Joe Gerrard.

About: His fascination from a young age with design and engineering;
On understanding the landscape and designing with spaces and blobs;
And on learning the language of artists and creativity;

Plus: winning a lego competition as a kid, playing his retro synth and putting Birmingham’s jewellery quarter on the world stage. 

Contact Talking Public Art Podcast:

Instagram us at @artbirdsfk

Linkedin connect @ FrancisKnight Ltd

Email us at office@francisknight.co.uk

Thanks for listening & keep podcasting!

In our fourth episode for Season 3 we talk to Victoria Jones the founder of T Projects an Arts consultancy delivering public art, creative strategies & artist development initiatives in Australia and the UK.    

About: Waffle, shonky behaviour and the importance of being credited; On curating internationally and why public art can be a gateway drug to culture; And on her public art mentoring programme. 

Plus: Liking BIG, stalking artists and the stress-free joys of pottery. 

Contact Talking Public Art Podcast:

Instagram us at @artbirdsfk

Linkedin connect @ FrancisKnight Ltd

Email us at office@francisknight.co.uk

Thanks for listening & keep podcasting!

This week we talk to Jo Verrent, Director of Unlimited.

About: Supporting disabled artists;  getting too big for your boots, rubbish off-the-shelf policies; and  Grantium, the dreaded Arts Council application portal. 

Plus: being bloody-minded, life/work balance and reducing exploitation in the cultural sector. 

Contact Talking Public Art Podcast:

Instagram us at @artbirdsfk

Linkedin connect @ FrancisKnight Ltd

Email us at office@francisknight.co.uk

Thanks for listening & keep podcasting!

This week we talk to Chris Dixon, Arts  and Cultural Industries Manager at Ashford Borough Council.

About: surviving (or not surviving) in the arts; building networks and relationships, creative hooks and creating the conditions for public art to happen; and the need for vibrancy, fun and innovation. 

Plus: ‘Network Rail grey’, fibre glass dogs and public art in football stadiums.

Contact Talking Public Art Podcast:

Instagram us at @artbirdsfk

Linkedin connect @ FrancisKnight Ltd

Email us at office@francisknight.co.uk

Thanks for listening & keep podcasting!

In our first episode for Season 3 we talk to Artistic Director Brigitte Orasinski of Folkestone-based arts company, Strange Cargo.

About: community participation and working with large numbers of people; on bringing the best that the arts can offer to people’s doorsteps; and on having a hand in the restoration of Folkestone Station. 

Plus: the importance of celebration, 29 years of carnival and big old chunky guide books. 

Contact Talking Public Art Podcast:

LinkedIn connect @FrancisKnight Ltd 

Instagram us at @artbirdsfk
Email us at office@francisknight.co.uk

Thanks for listening & keep podcasting!

Contact Talking Public Art Podcast:

Instagram us at @artbirdsfk

Linkedin connect @ FrancisKnight Ltd

Email us at office@francisknight.co.uk

Thanks for listening & keep podcasting!

In our final episode we talk to artists Nicole Mollett and José den Hartog.

About: the rewards of community engagement and tapping into local knowledge; making things that people can use in their everyday lives; a shared love of books and drawing; and the importance of trust and letting artists do their job.

Plus: fountains and follies, grotesques in old churches and a stuffed cat called Willem. 

Contact Talking Public Art Podcast:

Instagram us at @artbirdsfk

Linkedin connect @ FrancisKnight Ltd

Email us at office@francisknight.co.uk

Thanks for listening & keep podcasting!

In this episode we talk to Caroline Hicks, Director of Growth & Community for Dartford Borough Council.

About: the days when local authorities still had money; getting young creatives into Canterbury Market; commissioning bronze sculptures of Mick and Keef for Dartford Town Centre; the fear of a blank canvas and stretchy parameters.

Plus: capturing the magic, measuring wow and glass fusing! 

Contact Talking Public Art Podcast:

Instagram us at @artbirdsfk

Linkedin connect @ FrancisKnight Ltd

Email us at office@francisknight.co.uk

Thanks for listening & keep podcasting!

In this episode, we talk to Paul Cowell, Head of Culture & Libraries at Medway Council.

About: growing up in Bradford and being inspired by his Mum’s involvement with Am Dram; creating environments and loving pavilions; the importance of words in public art.

Plus: the positive power of beauty, dreams of a giant bobble hat and Take That. 

We talk about links to several projects mentioned by Paul:
Peveril Gardens by Sanchez Benton
Together by Lucid Creates
You & Me & Me & You by Anthony Burrill
Me. Here Now by Mark Titchner 

Contact Talking Public Art Podcast:

Instagram us at @artbirdsfk

Linkedin connect @ FrancisKnight Ltd

Email us at office@francisknight.co.uk

Thanks for listening & keep podcasting!

In this episode, we talk to artist Kerry Lemon

About: escaping being pigeon-holed as an illustrator and getting into public art; being a one-woman B Corp; mentoring and supporting women to do what she does; leaving a societal and environmental legacy.

Plus: being open, honest and sharing; why she can’t believe her own luck, and tap dancing! 

Contact Talking Public Art Podcast:

Instagram us at @artbirdsfk

Linkedin connect @ FrancisKnight Ltd

Email us at office@francisknight.co.uk

Thanks for listening & keep podcasting!

In our first episode, we talk to Mark Osborn, Assistant Director of Housing at Gravesham Borough Council.

About: the role of public art in giving a place an identity; why a landscape-led development is usually a more successful one; and why public art should be thought-provoking and never designed by committee.

Plus: reinventing town centres, a funny story about the Flying Geese in Ashford, and the joys of getting out a sketchbook. 

Contact Talking Public Art Podcast:

Instagram us at @artbirdsfk

Linkedin connect @ FrancisKnight Ltd

Email us at office@francisknight.co.uk

Thanks for listening & keep podcasting!