The A.R.T. Project

Formerly called the Anlaby Road Football Ground Project

At every home match thousands of Hull City fans and visiting supporters walk to and from the KC Stadium along the walkway that leads from Argyle Street, perhaps without realising that they are passing within a short distance of Hull City AFC’s original football ground.

Hull City’s early matches were played at the Boulevard but by March 1906 a permanent ground was established adjacent to the Cricket Circle off Anlaby Road.

Hull City Supporters’ Trust is determined to recognise this important era of the club’s heritage by commissioning a piece of public art. The aim of the project is to commemorate the old ground and to act as a celebration of the thousands of our ancestors who adopted Hull City as their club over the past 111 years.

It is hoped that the project can come to fruition to link in with the “Hull 2017″ – City of Culture celebrations and that there will be an opportunity to record the names of supporters past and present.

Update – July 2015

The project has now progressed to the important stage of appointing an arts administration, finance and project management expert.

The proposed location adjacent to the Argyle Street walkway leading to the KC Stadium has also been confirmed by the Board. Early indications are that the eventual planning application will be positively received by the planners.

The next stage is to complete the research of the club’s early history and the establishment of the former ground. Such detail will help to populate the artist’s brief.

The brief will be subsequently published for expressions of interest to be accompanied by artists’ interpretation of the brief.

Update – October 2015

Since we last reported a tremendous amount of planning has been undertaken behind the scenes culminating in the formulation of the Project Plan. So, no news in this case is definitely good news, because the project has developed to the stage that the artist brief is imminent.

One of the key aims of the HCST is to preserve, protect and develop the identity and community of Hull City AFC, an aim embodied in the Trust’s strap line – “Ambition & Tradition”. Whilst honouring the past, the Trust is actively looking to the future in a spirit of celebration and excitement. This project has been born from these aims and the desire to enable supporters and members of the public to celebrate the heritage of the football club through the commemoration of the site of the first home of Hull City AFC.

We will look to agree the artist brief before the end of the year and this will trigger the formal launch in the New Year to coincide with the brief being advertised for artists to respond with expressions of interest.

A selection of artists will then be interviewed in the spring of 2016 in order to draw up a short list of three.

These artists will then be tasked with working up their ideas including the production of a maquette,
or working model, as well as providing costings for the production and installation of finished piece.

The proposal is to place the models on public display and this is when Hull City supporters and the
general public will have the opportunity of commenting on what they like best of all three
submissions.

2016 is set to be a defining year for the project as efforts to raise the necessary finance via
sponsorship, crowd funding and grants will be crucial in securing its success with the projected
unveiling of the completed artwork planned for the start of the 2017/18 season and thereby
contributing to the year of City of Culture 2017.

The Anlaby Road Football Ground Project is a bit of a mouthful (to say the least) so we would now like you to suggest a short snappy description which the project can adopt. (We intend to produce a booklet detailing the project from inception to installation. Whoever comes up with the best name will be acknowledged in the booklet.) Please forward your suggestions to contact@hullcityst.com by 30 November.

Update – November 2015

Since our last update the following suggestions for snappy project names have come in from our shareholders- The Circle Complete; Our Home at Home; Full Circle; City at the Circle; Project Circle; The Circle Project; Circle Past; Completing the Circle and Don’t have a snappy name.

It’s not too late to enter a name. See above for how to do so.

Meanwhile the draft artist brief is now to hand. The subsequent process will be as follows:-

2016

January Advertise the brief to artists

March Shortlist and Interview (3 artists)

May Public Exhibition of artists’ proposals and their models

June Selection of the best proposal

July – Dec Fundraising in earnest!

2017

January Commission the artwork

July/August Official Unveiling

Update – December 2015

In total we received thirteen suggestions for a new name for the project, including three very thoughtful alternatives from Sean Moore. Two of Sean’s offerings, The A.R.T. Project (Anlaby Road Tigers) and Project R.O.A.R. (Recollections of Anlaby Road) were shortlisted, with the former being preferred by the sub-committee made up of the Project Manager, a Public Relations Practitioner and two of the Trust’s Directors.

The full Board were inspired by Sean’s suggestion and have, with one minor tweak, accepted it.
We thus hope Sean will not be offended if we substitute “Tigers” for “Tribute”, maintaining the acronym and the main thrust of his suggestion – The A.R.T. Project (Anlaby Road Tribute). Sean’s contribution will be acknowledged in the publication which will be a record of the project’s progress. Sean’s suggestion will now be adopted up and until such time that the artist is appointed and has the privilege of naming his or her own artwork.

Update – September 2017

Following work with The Lord Mayors Centenary Plaques Panel and interest shown by Hull City Council and the Newington Community Group there is now a collective will to move forward with the project. At the September HCST Board meeting a Sub Group was established to take on the feasibility study and proposals

For more information, contact us at contact@hullcityst.com.

Image from Britain from Above: http://www.britainfromabove.org.uk/image/epw036552