Art opportunity for city underpasses

An artist, or group of artists, will be invited to create public art installations at two underpasses in the city, as part of a council and police commissioner project to make the area safer.

Recently £423,851 funding was awarded to Portsmouth City Council and the Police and Crime Commissioner for Hampshire from the government’s Safer Streets Fund, for crime prevention measures within the Paradise/Arundel Street area in the Charles Dickens ward.

As part of the project, the council is looking for long-lasting and attractive public art installations with the theme of safer streets. The underpasses are near the city centre with one connecting the northern and southern sides of Lake Road and the other connecting Paradise Street to Lower Arundel Street and Commercial Road.

Other investments in the area will include:

  • improved fencing and gating in residential areas
  • improved street lighting
  • improved CCTV coverage
  • general environmental improvements and maintenance to improve safety
  • general improvements to the area for the benefit of the local community.

Cllr Dave Ashmore, the council’s Cabinet Member for Community Safety and Environment, said: “We hope artists will be interested in this opportunity to be commissioned to bring something creative and effective to the streets of Portsmouth as part of the Safer Streets project.”

Donna Jones, Police and Crime Commissioner, said: “This funding will make a real difference to the community in Charles Dickens ward. Safer Streets is a brilliant initiative that targets funds to reduce harm.”

Applications are invited from individual artists or artist teams with experience working in the public realm by Thursday 4 November 2021.  Artists are welcome to submit for either of both projects, however, both pieces of artwork are required to be installed by 18 March 2022.

Please register to view full details about both commissions via the council’s In-Tend portal at https://in-tendhost.co.uk/portsmouthcc/aspx/home If you require any assistance with In-Tend please contact 023 9268 8235 or procurement@portsmouthcc.gov.uk.

For further information on the Safer Streets project visit www.hampshire-pcc.gov.uk/safer-streets