Media Release: Irvine people ride wave of change

ABOUT 100 people a week have taken part in drop-in sessions designed to help shape public artworks that will help provide a focal point for the ongoing works to regenerate the public spaces in Irvine town centre.

Irvine Bay Regeneration Company commissioned arts organisation WAVE, to turn what was Irvine Cards and Sweets in the Rivergate Shopping Centre, into a working artists’ studio, known as WAVE in Irvine.

WAVE in Irvine has invited local people to become involved in a series of activities and events which will contribute to the changes taking place in Irvine town centre – with a particular focus on the proposals for seven new artworks that will be installed from High Street through to the new steps of Trinity Church.

The focus has been on the changes taking place in Irvine, connected to the aspirational process of building and regenerating – but also rooted in ensuring that people taking part have some fun!

The activities have included creating the world’s most complicated acrostic text and picking key dates and stories from 1,200 years of Irvine’s history.

The weeks until Christmas will see exciting workshops that will include building large cardboard models of the spire of Trinity Church, exploring creative writing workshops with established writers and working on the final choices for the timeline dates.

Passers-by will also start to see images and short films on the project so far projected on the studio window. This will include work from people who have dropped in to visit including local artists and historians.

Helen Shaddock of WAVE said that the Studio had been well attended on all days so far, with lots of local people coming up with dates for the timeline and helping create the acrostic text.

She added: “We’ve noticed that even the people who have reservations about the regeneration of the town centre, once the importance placed on community engagement by Irvine Bay is explained to them and we show them all the ways they can be involved in influencing plans, respond well and are keen to contribute.”

For further information about WAVE in Irvine, please contact:

Lauren Gault
07528 400958
lauren.gault.at.wave@gmail.com

MEDIA RELEASE posted by Irvine Bay. You too can post media releases (aka press releases) on allmediascotland.com. For more information, email here.

Contact: Kirsty Innes
Phone: 01294475487
Email: hilary@cygnus-extra.co.uk
Website: http://www.irvinebay.co.uk