November 2004
A New Wonderful Opportunity in East Northamptonshire for Artists

Fermynwoods is working with Rockingham Forest Trust on the creative side of Stanwick Lakes project.

If you are an artist/ consultant with a good creative flair and project management skills, please read on.

Click on images to enlarge for printing.

Stanwick Lakes

Lead Artist Brief

The Stanwick Lakes Project – an introduction

The Rockingham Forest Trust is a small environmental and rural development charity based in Oundle in Northamptonshire.

In 2002, the Trust took on an area of approximately 600 acres of former gravel pits, to develop into a countryside site for recreation and conservation. The site is owned by East Northamptonshire Council (who are providing significant funding towards the project) but has been leased to the Trust for a 125-year period. The site is located to the north-west of the A45, lying to the west of Stanwick and 4 miles east of Wellingborough.

The gravel pits have been worked and subsequently landscaped to lake, woodland and grassland areas and are now of regional importance because of the wading bird population on the site. In addition to the lakes themselves, the site also includes around 68 acres of former railway line, which runs from Irthlingborough, through the site and then up towards Thrapston.

Following considerable consultation, the Trust has developed a masterplan, which details the facilities that we propose to provide on the site and their locations. The masterplan seeks to provide something for everyone, whilst maintaining and enhancing the nature conservation interest. The site will be zoned into areas for nature conservation, areas for quiet recreation, as well as a “hub” area for the more people focussed activities.

The site once developed will appeal particularly to young families and to those with an interest in the countryside or in specific outdoor pursuits. It is also hoped that community groups will make regular use of the visitor centre.

A Green Design

Stanwick Lakes offers an excellent opportunity to demonstrate good environmental practice in both its construction and on-going management. For example, it is intended that the visitor centre will be designed to emphasise the principles of sustainability, incorporating where possible reclaimed, recycled and locally sourced materials, and the latest water and energy efficient technologies.

As far as possible, the emphasis within the site will be on the use of natural materials, to enhance the site’s natural beauty. Wood, stone and vegetation will feature strongly throughout, from the visitor centre to outdoor furniture.

Style and Image

A vision for Stanwick Lakes will be arrived at through identification of key user groups, consideration of long term aims (rather than simply for passing fashions) and the existing character of the site. Given that a large proportion of the site is water, then water-related imagery seems appropriate, hence the choice of logo for the project.

If water is the unifying main image for the site, then key sub-images within this would be wildlife and archaeological heritage. The site is nationally renowned for its bird life, and is also rich in other flora and fauna. During quarrying, many artefacts were found dating from prehistoric to medieval times. Both will be brought out heavily in the site’s interpretation, which will be featured around the site and within the visitor centre.

Aims and Objectives for the Lead Artist

The Trust recognises that in developing the site, creativity and imagination will be as important as the level of spend and this will ultimately be what distinguishes Stanwick Lakes from similar sites elsewhere.

The Trust wishes to give Stanwick Lakes a unique identity and character and will commission an artist/consultant with a project management role to lead both the development of the vision and to guide and manage the commissioning of further artists.

Phase 1

The Trust is looking to appoint a lead artist/consultant with a project management role for the cultural and environmental interpretation of areas of the site’s development.

The lead artist/consultant will work with other aspects of the project including

o Site signage + entrance feature
o Interpretation
o Seats, benches
o Play areas
o Mini play trail

For the leading role, we are looking for an artist/consultant who will think beyond any preconceived ideas, and produce a vision that will enhance the interpretation of Stanwick Lakes as a whole, for the benefit of the community. This individual will:

o Provide an overarching personal vision for the site, allowing for distinctive character and identity of place;
o Propose the best way to use the budgets available;
o Advise on the potentials of the site for creative interpretation;
o Propose discreet areas of work where community involvement might be appropriate;
o Help to identify those qualities which are pre-requisite for further commissioned artist(s) working in the discreet areas identified.

Phase 2

Following agreement for the vision and the potentials of the site for exploration by the commissioned artists, the lead artist/consultant will be required to advise the Trust during the implementation phase.
The lead artist/consultant will therefore assume a project management role, as well as arranging and managing the involvement of community groups where agreed. It is also possible that the lead artist/consultant could also assume a second phase role as a commissioned artist.

Budget for the Lead Artist consultant

The Trust asks that each potential applicant to produce a cost proposal for delivering phase 1 and phase 2. This proposal should include an allowance for artists’ time as well as additional expenditure such as travel, materials etc.

Budgets for the Art Commissions

As part of the overall budget for the site development, the Trust has allocated specific amounts to each area. Those items that may include artists’ input are:

o Entrance feature £ 35,000
o Benches, seats £ 12,000*
o Interpretation and direction signs £ 15,000*
o Mini play trail £ 25,000*
o Play areas £200,000*
o Other specific art commissions £ 20,000

* These costs are the total budget for providing this item within the site, not for the art commissions. In the case of the play areas for instance, the total budgets for providing the play areas is £200,000 but much of this will be allocated to providing play equipment, safety surfacing etc. A small percentage of this could go towards work associated with these items, but this would have to be agreed within the framework established by the lead artist/consultant.

Project Timetable

The infrastructure of the site will be installed over the next 6 months – this will include the footpaths and cycle ways, car parks, entrance roads etc, with the intention of the site being opened to the public in September 2005. However, at this stage the site will not be complete and it is envisaged that development work will continue for a further 3-4 years beyond this date, particularly with the construction of the visitor building.

With regard to the arts commissions, it is intended that at least some of the essential work could be in place for the September opening, including work associated with the entrance feature, the play areas as well as some of the benches, seats and signage.

Timetable and Selection Process for Commission of Lead Artist

The Trust ask that interested artists send in the following details by
1st January 2005:
o their c.v.
o a portfolio of recent work
o an expression of interest, giving a brief outline of their vision and approach to developing the project.

Interviews will be held on 27/28th January