Stonehenge
Ageas Salisbury International Arts Festival and defence and technology experts, QinetiQ were shortlisted to the top three in the UK for the People’s Development Award in the 33rd National Arts and Business Awards held last night at the Central St Martins College of Art and Design in London.
Reaching the top three projects in the UK is testament to the success of a 6 year long relationship which draws together QinetiQ’s 3rd year aerospace engineering apprentices and professional artist, Charlotte Moreton, to create a permanent public sculpture of which Wiltshire can be proud. QinetiQ apprentices have the opportunity to learn and apply key project management skills and their creativity alongside their engineering design, manufacture and commissioning competencies to enhance the Solstice Business Park.
The success of this project illustrated the Festival’s ability to forge close links between the business and the local community to produce art in which the wider community can engage. Year on year, Ageas Salisbury International Arts Festival’s partnership with QinetiQ connects Festival audiences with one of the area’s biggest employers and raises the profile of the Apprentice Centre within QinetiQ and local communities. The partnership improves internal departmental dynamics within QinetiQ itself and creates wider and deeper partnerships with operational organisations in the community.
By bringing the new sculpture into the heart of Ageas Salisbury International Arts Festival’s opening event in Hudson’s Field, Salisbury and at the Festival’s Big PlayDay, QinetiQ’s young aerospace engineering apprentices’ creativity reaches thousands of people.
Steve Wilkinson, QinetiQ, said: “We are extremely proud of QinetiQ’s partnership with the Ageas Salisbury International Arts Festival and sculptor Charlotte Moreton, which has produced over a hundred apprentices at Boscombe Down, over the last six years, who have all been involved in the design, engineering and installation of six fantastic piece of public art.
The apprentices have learned immeasurably in project management, team working, across site collaboration and delivering workshops in schools, as well as presenting their ideas to the public and the media.
The profile of the sculpture trail at Solstice Park is terrific for our business and means that many people will be able to enjoy the work for many years to come. Art meets engineering, to the benefit of all.”
