The last few days have been taken up with meetings and presenting my final 3 proposals for the sculpture. The first meeting was on Sunday to the community advisory group, made up from a mix of people I have met during my time here in Shetland. It was the first time I have made such a formal presentation to a community group as part of the selection process during a project. It was a very positive meeting and the responses were varied, interesting and valid. Just before going I read an article on Public Art and the effect of on health and wellbeing for communities, I like this quote from Alex Coulter, director of the arts advocacy organisation Arts & Health South West. “We live in a world where everything gets caught up in its economic benefits or usefulness, and art just sits there as this other thing which is not about any of that. There are things in the world that we just stand and look at and wonder about, and are not there to do anything else. That is quite important.” And, somewhat perversely but evidently, that is important for our wellbeing too.
So the next day was a meeting with the project partners who made the final decision, it was agreed to go forward with one of the proposals, which also means I shall be coming back to Shetland next year and that is exciting.
