The UK’s Best Free Outdoor Artworks to Visit During August Public Holidays UK News

Art lovers looking for day trips during the August Bank Holiday weekend may not have to travel as far as feared.

Sky Arts has narrowed down a list of the 20 best outdoor art attractions across the UK with art in England, Wales and Scotland.

Sky Arts initially asked 1,000 UK adults to share their free outdoor artwork, but up to 2,000 adults then voted for their favorite artwork.

A 1.2 ton metal sculpture of a soldier reflecting on the horrors of World War I has been crowned the UK’s best outdoor work of art.

The 2014 Ray Lonsdale statue, called “1101” to mark the first minute of peace after the 11 am Armistice on November 11, 1918, is also known as “Tommy”.

Initially, it was only intended to be a temporary exhibit, but after its unveiling it became so popular that locals launched a fundraising campaign to install it permanently.

In 2015, after collecting the necessary £ 102,000, it was moved to a cobblestone platform in the city and a time capsule containing donated items including a letter from Ray Lonsdale, a t-shirt, artwork by children’s art, war memorabilia and a victory. The medal was buried below.

The Moving Sculpture, in Seaham, County Durham, took first place following a nationwide poll conducted by Sky Arts to celebrate the launch of its new series, Landmark, which will see a new wave of art audience in the UK as the country’s top artists vie for the chance to create a brand new national monument.

Lonsdale’s work topped the list ahead of Andy Scott’s ‘Kelpies’, a giant horse installation in Falkirk, Scotland, and the ‘Uffington White Horse’, the chalk hill figure in Oxfordshire.

Top 5 works

Among the top five were “The Angel of the North” by Antony Gormley and “Women of Steel” by Martin Jennings in Sheffield.

Clare Lilley, Program Director at Yorkshire Sculpture Park and Expert Judge on Sky Arts’ Landmark, said: “This list includes some really nice surprises. It’s curious what is missing from the list, like the winged figure of Barbara Hepworth on John Lewis’s side on Oxford Street and the real Birmingham family of Gillian Wearing.

“Maybe some public works are so integrated into their place that they become invisible.

“I think the public selection shows how figurative sculpture and storytelling is considered incredibly important in terms of accessibility and messaging. Some of the sculptures also indicate the importance of the place, forming a kind of bridge between history and the present.

Other popular outdoor artwork across the UK included ‘Another Place’, Antony Gormley’s spellbinding sculpture series on Crosby Beach in Merseyside, which ended up sixth on the list.

‘Hands and Molecule’, in Ramsgate, Kent, which is a nod to the discovery, development and manufacture of innovative drugs in the county, was in seventh place.

The top 10 include ‘The Millennium Sculpture’ (The Tinnies) in Strabane, Northern Ireland, ‘Cerne Abbas’, the giant naked chalk man in Dorset and the mural by Marcus Rashford, from Akse in Manchester.

Put a place on the map

Separate research has found that three-quarters of UK adults believe famous outdoor art pieces are a great way to get their place on the map.

However, 59 percent say there isn’t enough free outdoor artwork within 10 miles of where they live.

Almost six in ten people (59%) would like a ‘Banksy’ to appear overnight near their home, with 48% adding that they would like one of the mysterious guerrilla artist’s works to appear on the side of their house. House.

Two-thirds (65 percent) said people should find time to explore local art monuments from their homes.

The same figure said he wanted the councils to allow local artists to turn disused public land into art centers.

The new show is presented by Gemma Cairney, who delves into the purpose and power of public art as she joins Sky Arts in a bid to create the UK’s next major landmark.

She is accompanied by two expert judges – curator Clare Lilley and visual artist Hetain Patel – as well as six famous faces, all ready to unearth the best artistic talent from the region or country they inhabit.

Investment in public art

As part of the series, Sky Arts is investing £ 700,000 in public art in total, commissioning 18 new pieces of public art across the country as well as a final national monument worth £ 250,000.

Phil Edgar-Jones, Director of Sky Arts, said: “Public art can be a source of pride and love and it’s great to see such a thoughtful and passionate response in favor of Tommy – a work that matters. so much in his local community. .

“We look forward to adding more joy to the world when Landmark releases next month.”

Landmark airs weekly starting September 6 at 8 p.m. on Sky Arts (Freeview Channel 11) and the NOW streaming service.

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