When I’m not managing websites like this one for Channel 4, I am working on sculpture in my own studio, so the Big Art Project neatly ties up these two sides of my life!

Maybe I’m noticing it more now, but public art really seems to be in the news. . .

The 100 cast-iron figures staring out to sea – Another Place by Antony Gormley – now enjoy permanent residence on Crosby beach, Merseyside, after public pressure persuaded Sefton council to keep them. More figures have just been installed on London rooftops, particularly around the Hayward Gallery where an exhibition of Gormley’s work runs until August

Elisabeth Frink, an equally féted artist of an earlier generation, has hit the headlines as property developers, The Avon Group, plan to remove her bronzes, Desert Quartet from the Montague Centre in Worthing. The 20th Century Society (www.c20society.org.uk) and pmsa (www.pmsa.org.uk) object, saying that permanent inclusion of Frink’s sculpture was a condition of the original planning permission. Can any Big Art Mobloggers in the Worthing area let us all see what the fuss is about?

Less well known, but well represented here on the Big Art Mob are the artists in Situation Leeds (www.situationleeds.org.uk) a festival of artists’ interventions around the city. Down south and maybe not yet known at all, are those applying for inclusion in Kensington and Chelsea’s planned public art trail (contact: arts@rbkc.gov.uk). Several commissions are being offered in Wales, where major public artworks are being proposed for the 'St David's 2' development in Cardiff (www.stdavids2.com).

There's even been a call from a consortium including Eurostar for an ‘Angel of the South’ for Ebbsfleet, Kent, in time for the London Olympics. This suggests a question to me: with the Olympics looming, where will all the money (from a government dept. with responsibility for both art and sport) be going in the next few years? (maybe this is one for a discussion on the Big Art Forum ?)

Now the Big Art Mob is up and running, I’ll be traveling around the country, visiting colleges, arts centres etc., setting up moblog workshops. We’ll attempt to fill any gaps in the ever-expanding Big Art Map – anyone want to invite me to their own arts centre or school? We’ll see what we can do!

Please watch this space for further reports and keep checking the website for updates on the developing artworks in the seven communities Channel 4’s Big Art Project is filming in the run up to the series.

Nick Pearson
Big Art Project website manager