12:01pm Thursday 16th August 2007
By Reader letter
In response to letters relating to the Channel 4 Big Art Project in St Helens, I can assure the local community that none of the funding for this exciting initiative is coming from Council taxpayers' money.
The £700,000 we have successfully secured so far is all from external funding sources, namely the Arts Council, North West Coalfield Communities Regeneration Programme, a Forestry Commission endowment specifically ringfenced for public art, and the Local Enterprise Growth Initiative.
In other words, none of the funding could otherwise be used to pay for statutory Council or other mainstream public services such as education, or social or health care.
The Channel 4 Big Art Project in St Helens is to a significant degree a community-led initiative, spearheaded by a very dedicated and enthusiastic group of former miners from Sutton Manor Colliery, with active Council involvement and support, plus close collaboraton with Channel 4's Big Art Trust, Liverpool Biennial, and the Forestry Commission.
The vast majority of the feedback we have received so far via the Big Art Project -related community engagement programme that is now underway has been extremely positive.
The overall aim of what is a nationally significant initiative, involving a world-famous artist, and being filmed by Channel 4, is to put St Helens on the map, reflect the positive transformation of our economy and environment in recent years, help secure additional tourism and inward investment, commemorate the Sutton Manor Colliery site itself, and contribute to building local pride.
I would urge the people of St Helens to get behind the Big Art Project accordingly, and suggest that anyone with any views on the project and/or public art in general (good or bad!) has their say via the community engagement programme specifically intended for this purpose, which is being delivered via Helena Housing on behalf of the Council.
To do so, please contact Tanya Humphreys, the Big Art Officer at Helena Housing's Residents Involvement Team via: tanya.humphreys@helenahousing.co.uk or 01744 675 687.
John Whaling, Economic Development Manager, St Helens Council.
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