Community launch for Dream

Community launch for new landmark sculpture

Dream, the dramatic new sculpture for St.Helens and the Northwest, will be launched with a spectacular event on Sunday 31 May that involves hundreds of people from the local community and visitors from across the country.

A traditional Whit Walk has been planned complete with brass bands, May Queen and her entourage, a choir, ex-miners and their families and all those who have made Dream possible including guest of honour artist Jaume Plensa.  At noon the assembled pageant will process to the summit of the hill to officially launch Dream at 12.30pm.

The work has already attracted significant national and international attention and it is estimated that hundreds of thousands of people have already seen the sculpture. The impressive 20 metre-high sculpture, by internationally renowned artist Jaume Plensa, is situated on the site of the former Sutton Manor Colliery in St.Helens, midway between Liverpool and Manchester.  

Bob Hepworth, Director of Urban Regeneration and Housing at St.Helens Council, says:  “Dream is the artist’s response to the brief and to subsequent conversations with the ex-miners and members of the wider local community who wanted a piece that looked to a brighter future and created an inspiring and contemplative space for future generations, not least their own grandchildren, at the top of the former colliery.”

“It is fitting that the official launch of Dream is a community led event that reflects the communities close involvement with the project from day one.”

Marian White from Shining Lights Heritage Group in Sutton Manor said: “This day is the conclusion to three years of the Sutton Manor community coming together and working hard towards seeing our dream come true! It?s not only a celebration of all our traditions from the past such as the Whit Walk procession, crowning of the May Queen and the colliery bands but the launch of Dream also symbolises our hopes and aspirations for the future.”

Dream was commissioned by local ex-miners and St.Helens Council as part of Channel 4’s Big Art Project, an ambitious public art commissioning initiative supported by Arts Council England, the national development agency for the arts, and The Art Fund, the UK’s leading independent art charity.

Schedule:

12noon Parade begins at Colliery gates at Jubits Lane.  Procession will march up to Dream

12.30pm Speeches - by artist Jaume Plensa, Cllr Brian Spencer, Leader St.Helens Council and Jan Younghusband, Commissioning Editor, Visual Arts for Channel 4.

1.00pm Poem reading by ex-Sutton Manor Miner Brian Salkeld and the Sing Out Choir sings St.Helens Song and Dream, Dream, Dream

1.30pm Parade moves down towards Smithy Manor pub 

Please note there will be free car parking at both Lea Green Station (Liverpool to Manchester line) and Sutton Leisure Centre. St.Helens Council will operate a free shuttle coach service from these car parks to Sutton Manor every 15 mins from 11am to 3pm (last bus leaving from Sutton Manor at 3pm). 

Due to the high number of visitors anticipated for this event please use public transport where possible as parking will be limited. For public transport enquiries ring Traveline on 0871 200 22 33 or visit www.merseytravel.gov.uk 

From the M62 Junction 7 please follow the Dream signs, which will direct you to Lea Green Station and Sutton Leisure Centre for the free shuttle coach service. The buses commence at 11am until 3pm and will run every 15 minutes.