Sculpture proposals go to public vote

Nine submissions from local, regional and national artists were shortlisted – all on a maritime theme – and more than 1,500 members of the public took the opportunity to vote.

The aim of the initiative is to link the waterfront areas of the town via public art but it is still subject to funding from the Coastal Communities Fund.

The selected artist will be announced if this funding bid is successful, which is expected to be known by March.

Artists were invited to submit proposals which reflect the current and / or historical context of the Seaton Carew area and its seafront promenade.

Other proposals include the installation of a statue dedicated to Hollywood director Sir Ridley Scott within the Church Street area.

Ridley Scott - a former art student in Hartlepool who has gone on to direct cinema classics such as Alien and Bladerunner – filmed his first film, called ‘Boy and Bicycle’, in West Hartlepool and Seaton Carew.

Councillor Christopher Akers-Belcher, Leader of Hartlepool Borough Council, said: “Seaton Carew and the Church Street Innovation and Skills Quarter are key areas that are being transformed by regeneration with significant investment planned for both areas.

“This project presents us with an opportunity to utilise external funding to create new public art which will improve the attractiveness of the area for residents and visitors.”

Councillor Kevin Cranney, Chair of Hartlepool Council’s Regeneration Services Committee, added: “The town has an impressive array of Victorian monuments, but very little sculpture has been added in recent years. We now have an opportunity to change that if our bid for funding is successful.”

You can view the nine submissions below and you can click on the thumbnails to make the images larger.