New Chapter for Beloved Bookbenches

Now, residents and visitors can continue to enjoy these special creations, each uniquely designed to reflect Newark’s rich heritage and vibrant community, as they have found forever homes in various locations across the town: Shimmer and Shine is at Newark Art Gallery; Tales of Newark and Corporal Ciapek is at the National Civil War Centre – Newark Museum; Newark by Day/Night is at the Town Hall entrance to the Buttermarket; Castles in the Air is at Inspire Buttermarket; Noble Newark and Nursery Rhymes is at the YMCA Nursery; Alphabets and the Newark College Bench are at Newark College; Portable Magic is at Newark Library; Rapunzel and the Lost Watering Hole is at The Governors House; and Roses and Castles is at Newark Town Lock Sensory Gardens.

The BookBench Sculpture Trail was a highlight of the summer, offering a fun, interactive experience for all ages, engaging many young people and attracting visitors from outside the district. Visitors were encouraged to pick up a trail leaflet and explore the stories of each bench, with the ‘Meet Me at the Benches’ programme providing additional free activities to join in with. Alongside complimentary summer events in the town including Newark-on-Sea, this boosted footfall, supporting Newark’s many fantastic independent retailers and eateries.

Due to popular demand, the trail was extended to 11 September, allowing even more people to enjoy the benches. Now, after the trail’s conclusion, we are thrilled to have been able to ensure that these beautiful pieces of art remain accessible to the community and visitors from further afield who can see for themselves the creativity and colour of Newark.

Councillor Claire Penny, Portfolio Holder for Sustainable Economic Development at Newark and Sherwood District Council, said: “The Newark Creates BookBench Sculpture Trail has been a fantastic initiative, highlighting the art and culture at the heart of our community and bringing colour and creativity to our town centre. I am thrilled that these beautiful benches will now have permanent homes where residents and visitors can continue to enjoy them. This project has been a wonderful celebration of the spirit of Newark, and I encourage everyone to visit the new locations and experience the magic of these BookBenches for themselves.”

The benches were created in co-ordination with Wild in Art, a leading creative producer of spectacular public art events that entertain, enrich, inform and leave a lasting legacy. Wild in Art’s events have enabled more than £15 million to be raised for charitable causes and engaged over a million people in arts activities across the globe.

Through various projects and events, Newark Creates brings together artists, residents, and visitors to celebrate the town’s unique heritage and vibrant community spirit. This year, the programme has been supported by Newark Town Board’s Newark Heart project, alongside the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, which has enabled them to plan even more events. In the next few weeks, they are hosting a Festival of Creativity with free fun for all ages across the weekend of 5 to 6 October, as well as spectacular new animation A Likely Story which will be projected onto the Town Hall on the evening of Friday 1 November.

Newark Creates is led by Newark’s Cultural Consortium, which is made up of several local organisations including Inspire Culture, Learning & Libraries, Newark and Sherwood District Council Heritage and Culture, Newark Civic Trust, Newark Heritage Forum, Newark Book Festival, Newark Town Council, and Newark College.

Carol Newman, Director of Inspire: Culture, Learning and Libraries, the lead partner in the Consortium, said: “The new funding from Newark Heart and the UK Shared Prosperity Fund has allowed us to host a truly fantastic year of events in Newark with some of the most exciting projects still to come.  The Bookbench Sculpture Trail has been a wonderful success, and we are delighted to see the benches find their forever homes. Our events in October and November will provide the perfect chance to make a day or evening of it in the town, enjoying the activities on offer as well as visiting the BookBenches and some of the town’s fantastic local shops and eateries.”

Louise Casey-Simpson, Chair of the Newark Towns Fund, said: “It’s been brilliant for Newark Heart to be able to support Newark Creates this year. From these stunning BookBenches to events at Newark-on-Sea, Newark Festival and soon the Festival of Creativity, it’s all about bringing fun, creativity and excitement to the town centre and offering residents and visitors of all ages the chance to experience our amazing town to its fullest.”

For more information about the BookBenches and their new locations, follow @NewarkCreatesUK on social media or visit www.newarkcreates.com.