About this Event
Centre Square is central Middlesbrough’s main open green space. This guided walk and talk will explore the stories behind the public artworks that can be found around this public square, from the bronze statues of some of the founding fathers, to the illustrated book benches, to the colossal bottle sculpture. It will uncover some of the stories behind the artworks that have been removed: from an abstract red sculpture dubbed “the elephant”, to the steel sculpture nicknamed “brandy snaps”. We will look at the statues, sculptures, murals, light installations, and street art, which can be found in and around Centre Square. We will think about what these public artworks tell us about the town of Middlesbrough, and ask what message you would like any future public art to communicate.
Accessibility
The walk will take place in Centre Square and its immediate vicinity. Level, paved, pedestrianised walkways throughout the route are suitable for wheelchairs and pushchairs. The meeting point in the MIMA atrium has automatic doors, access to accessible toilet facilities, and a refreshment point in the MIMA Kitchen. There will be a sign language interpreter for the event.
An interactive map with QR codes to captioned YouTube videos of the information given during the talk will accompany the event. There will also be audio descriptions of the artworks for anyone with sight impairments.
This event is part of Being Human Festival, the UK’s national festival of the humanities, taking place 7–16 November 2024. Led by the School of Advanced Study, University of London, with generous support from Research England, in partnership with the Arts and Humanities Research Council and the British Academy. For further information please see beinghumanfestival.org.
Event Venue & Nearby Stays
MIMA, MIMA, Middlesbrough, United Kingdom
GBP 0.00
