Public art walk to transform Honeybourne Line

A Cornwall-based art collaborative has won a commission to tell the story of Cheltenham in a public exhibition along the town's Honeybourne Line walking path.

The project will see six sculptures and three entrance markers installed along the path, which was built on a former railway track in the Gloucestershire town.

Neith Art and Sculpture was selected from a field of more than 40 applicants for the commission.

The statues, which the local council says will "create a lasting sense of pride", will reflect Cheltenham's history, from its Anglo-Saxon settlement and the wool trade to the spa era, as well as its horseracing culture.

Organisers said the exhibition, called A Time, A Place, will draw inspiration from the Honeybourne Line's railway heritage, with each sculpture will act as a "platform" in telling the town's story.

Residents, schools and community groups will help shape the artwork through workshops, creative writing sessions, guided walks and supervised carving activities.

Community voices and poetry recordings will also feature in audio installations along the route.

Rob Neith Nicholson, art producer and collaborative artist at Neith Art & Sculpture, said: "The ability to tell stories, strengthen people's connection to those stories and to the area, and to engage the local community with the project, really fits well with how we work.

"We are really excited to get going with the project, and the engagement which will run throughout the summer."

Cllr Izaac Tailford of Cheltenham Borough Council added: "The project will not only brighten one of our busiest walking and cycling corridors, but also create a lasting sense of pride, ownership and connection for communities across Cheltenham."

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