Creating a Legacy
Working with communities across the life of the project is a key objective for BAM Nuttall and the Council, and the project team is striving to improve the lives of local people by enhancing the areas they work, live and relax in. As part of this, the team has appointed Nichol Wheatley as the Artist in Residence to work with the nearby local communities in creating a series of legacy artworks.
Nichol is a Scottish artist, based in Kinross-shire, who has enjoyed a varied career since graduating from Glasgow School of Art in 1993. Nichol worked as a bouncer, a chef, a stonemason and a blacksmith before returning to art in 1999 to set up Perfect Circle with two other tutors, a commercial fine art company that ran until 2014.
He is best known for his painting of the Scottish landscape (particularly Kinross-shire), his large cycle of murals telling the story of Tam o’Shanter, and his work with Alasdair Gray.
Over the years Nichol has gained a wealth of experience in public realm art, creating huge mosaics and murals, and has also worked as the arts consultant for many infrastructure projects. As well as this, he has worked with Oscar-winning film designers, and has spent 15 years collaborating with his hero, the Scottish artist and writer Alasdair Gray, on his visual work and public projects.
He is in the process of completing the delivery of eight community-based artworks at the new Stockingfield Bridge in North West Glasgow for Scottish Canals and will begin work with CTLR in late spring 2023.
Aiming for up to nine locations throughout the new road corridor, it is the intention that these focal points provide a strong sense of identity, and support wayfinding and orientation. Using the rich history and culture of the area as inspiration, some of the themes and features that might influence the development of the artworks are:
Scone Palace and Designed Landscape – Considered one of Scotland’s finest and oldest designed landscapes and containing Category A listed Scone Palace;
Perth Racecourse – The northernmost course in Britain with racing activities starting in this location in 1613, and opened in its current form in 1909;
Archaeology – There are a total of 14 scheduled monuments within 1km of the proposed route; this includes the discovery of a souterrain which has been removed from the site, safely stored and ready to be installed at a suitable location within the project site;
Local Ecology – The site is rich in ecology with extensive woodland and tree belts.
Where possible, the artworks will be completed and installed in line with each section completion with the first expected to appear at the end of summer 2023.
Potential locations for the Community Artworks:
- Denmarkfield rewilding area
- Park & Cycle site (old A9)
- River Tay Bridge
- Wetlands area adjacent to the caravan park
- Stormontfield Roundabout
- A93 Roundabout
- Green Bridge at Highfield
- Highfield Roundabout
- A94 Roundabout
INVITATION TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE ARTWORK PLANNING.
As part of the community benefits, Perth and Kinross Council and BAM would like to invite you to meet with the Artist / Curator for the project, to give the local communities a chance to contribute to the development of the plan for the artwork, at an early stage.
There are nine possible artwork projects under consideration for the Cross Tay Link Road project. This public meeting will be an opportunity to discuss these projects, canvas ideas for the projects and to explain community involvement. The meetings will take the form of a presentation followed by an open discussion. Nichol Wheatley will be available for further discussions as required.
- Tuesday 25th April - Robert Douglas Memorial Institute, Scone 4 pm – 5 pm.
- Thursday 27th April – Luncarty Church Centre, Luncarty 4pm – 5pm.
This is an open invitation so please spread the word! We would especially like to encourage any budding artists you know who may wish to contribute.