Local artwork installed at Dogger Bank Operations and Maintenance Base
Dogger Bank Wind Farm has partnered with Newcastle art gallery Gallagher & Turner to invest in local artwork which is being displayed permanently at the Operations and Maintenance Base in Port of Tyne.
- Major investment in local creative industry
- Over 30 pieces will be displayed
- All works to be displayed are by North East artists
- Employees invited to select the type of works to be displayed
The partnership represents a major investment in the local creative industry with over 30 pieces to be displayed, all by artists from North East England.
Clare Turner, Partner, Gallagher & Turner said: “The request to provide art for the Dogger Bank Operations and Maintenance base was an amazing opportunity for us to be able to assemble a portfolio of unique pieces by artists who work in the region. We immediately felt creatives whose practice relates to the local environment, the narratives of the Tyne, the North Sea coast, its history and the unique power of the landscape of the North East, were going to connect best with all our shared environmental concerns. We were also delighted to be asked to work with an organisation that is making a profound effort to connect with the local area commercially as well as visually by supporting a small independent art gallery.”
Employees at the O&M base helped select the type of works to be displayed, ensuring that the pieces would be enjoyed and appreciated by staff working at the state-of-the-art facility. Among the many artists featured, art works include a new Ringed Plover painted commission by Paul Henery, and Crispian Heath will be creating two new large scale glass commissions.
“Over the last thirty years we have been enthusiastic to run an exciting programme of continually changing exhibitions and with a pool of local talent to draw on we were able to propose a selection of original pieces for the building. We had some great involvement and feedback from the staff who were excited to see our proposals and going forward we are hopeful they will be continually inspired by these artworks” added Clare.
Dogger Bank Wind Farm plans to continue the partnership with Gallagher & Turner with a yearly Purchase Prize for art students at Sunderland and Newcastle Universities for the next 4 years, with the selected works to be displayed at the facility. Together, they also plan to commission three original murals to be displayed, working with the local community, South Tyneside Council and Foundation Press.
Felicity Wann, Operations Leader at Dogger Bank Wind Farm, said: “We wanted our new O&M base to reflect the Dogger Bank strategy of investing in the local community, as well as giving employees the opportunity to shape the O&M base and really make it their own. By investing in art by local artists we have been able to do both these things. Working with a fantastic local gallery, who guided us throughout and ensured we have a cohesive collection, reflecting the Dogger Bank environmental focus and the landscapes of North East England, has made the whole process a joy.”
Dogger Bank Wind Farm is a joint venture between SSE Renewables (40%), Equinor (40%) and Vårgrønn (20%). SSE Renewables is lead operator for the development and construction of Dogger Bank Wind Farm. Equinor will be lead operator of the wind farm on completion for its expected operational life of around 35 years.
The wind farm, which will generate 3.6 GW of capacity, is being built in three 1.2 GW phases, named Dogger Bank A, B & C, and will be able to power the equivalent of 6 million UK homes on completion.
Picture caption: North East artists visit Dogger Bank Wind Farm Operations and Maintenance Base. From Left to Right: Rosie Morris and Clare Turner (Gallagher & Turner), Rhiannon Robinson, Paul Henery, Lily Senner, Alex Charrington, Jill Campbell, Mark Halliday (Dogger Bank Wind Farm), Crispian Heath, and Felicity Wann and Tom Nightingale (Dogger Bank Wind Farm).