A SHORTLIST of three designs have been chosen for a key water feature in Ilkley - and now the public is being asked to have their say.
Improving Ilkley launched a competition last year for local artists to come up with a design for a new Brook Street Fountain. Seventeen expressions of interest were received and have now been narrowed down to three designs. The successful designs are from: Juliet Gutch; Laura Dawes and Sean Dowker.
Karl Milner, trustee of Improving Ilkley said: "All these designs are from local artists, are possible to engineer, will be robust enough to survive an Ilkley winter standing in freezing cold water and can be fabricated within our tight budget. We are now seeking the views of the public. We would love to know:
• which they prefer?
• how we might enhance or improve any of these designs?
• And, which one really isn’t your cup of tea?"
To have your say email: trustee@improvingilkley.org before March 31 and the winner will be announced in April. The winner with receive a cash prize of £500 and will go on to further develop their design with Improving Ilkley and fabricators.
The designs will be on display between March 11 and 19 at Ilkley Town Hall, Ilkley Manor House, The Clarke Foley Centre and The Friends of Ham.
Karl added: "Local artists Juliet Gutch, Laura Dawes, and Sean Dowker have brought their own unique inspirations to the town fountain project, with designs that draw on the beauty of nature, ancient carvings, and local legends. Their talent and creativity are on full display, and we eagerly await the public's reaction to these three striking visions and stories. Regardless of which design ultimately prevails, the new fountain promises to bring added elan to the town centre and remind us of our connections to, and reliance on, the natural world that surrounds us."
Improving Ilkley trustee Louise Hepworth Wood said: "We knew Ilkley was full of amazing creative people but we have been blow away by the quality of the entries. We have done our bit now it is down to the public to give us their opinions.”
Karl added: "If anyone else would like to host the exhibit please let us know. None of this would have been possible without the fantastic support of Ilkley BID throughout the project – they are wonderful."
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