Green light for sustainable sculpture

Plans for a striking sculpture have been given the go ahead by Lincoln City Council.

The installation is set to be a unique attraction for locals and visitors alike and is testament to the strong collaboration of a number of organisations including local school children who worked together to create something eye-catching and meaningful.

The sculpture was commissioned by Lincoln BIG with funding from Lincoln Creates and has been designed by local visual artist, Nadya Monfrinoli for Stokes Tea & Coffee’s Lawn site in the city.

Nadya explained: “The design concept was inspired by the coffee plant, that in nature grows as a tree, rather than a shrub as seen on plantations. I wanted to build a pavilion, a space which is between sculpture and shelter, somewhere that is inviting, where people would congregate.

“The brief from Stokes included a stipulation that we should try to use as much waste material from the Lawn based coffee roastery as possible. I chose to build the pavilion using the pallets that the coffee beans arrive on. Each piece of wood has been carefully liberated from its pallet. Over 200 pieces were printed with coffee inspired designs by children at Westgate Primary school, which is very close to the Lawn site where the Pavilion will sit.”

Nick Peel, is the fourth generation of the Stokes family to run the legendary 121-year-old firm. He said: “We are delighted to see this project move forward. The pandemic caused delays but it’s exciting to think that in just a few short weeks, it will be in place for so many people to enjoy.

“The coffee tree nourishes, nature is to be treasured and respected, along with minimising waste to help better protect our environment. These values are built into our business alongside the arts and creative community collaborations, which are also in our DNA. Life can crush your soul at times, but art always reminds you that you have one. Installations make you pause, reflect and be curious. I really hope the children enjoy seeing their creative work come together as one piece.”

Emma Olivier-Townrow, Business Development Manager at Stokes added: “This project is a great example of how Lincoln Big has supported artists, businesses and local communities to work together, donating resources to support culture and promoting Lincoln City as a vibrant place to live, work or visit. It’s been fantastic to do this especially working with the primary school children who visited our roastery and barista training academy to better understand the journey of coffee from bean to cup.”

Lee Roberts, Head of Operations at Lincoln BIG said: “We’re delighted Lincoln Creates has brought this brilliant project to life and allowed Stokes to collaborate with Nadya to create a sculpture that strongly reflects their company’s values. We’re looking forward to seeing the striking artwork come to life and offer a distinctive attraction for locals and visitors to see.”

The different elements of the pavilion have been ready for some time now, but it will be assembled off site to minimise installation time at the Lawn, before being delivered in sections. The sculpture will be sited on the grounds at the Lawn on Union Road in Lincoln.

Frequently Asked Questions:

• What is Lincoln Creates?

Lincoln Creates is a Lincoln BIG project, that funds and supports new creative art projects in Lincoln City Centre Art projects can take the form of murals, sculptures, installations created using different materials and processes.

• What are the aims and objectives of Lincoln Creates?

The fund aims to encourage artists, Lincoln based creative practitioners and businesses to collaborate on visual art projects which will make Lincoln City Centre a more vibrant place to live, work and/or visit. Art projects can receive funding of up to 100% with grants available of between £500 – £5,000 towards the project.
Other objectives include; Supporting the City Centre events programme, Enhancing local image and identity through arts and culture, Providing innovative an inspiring creative content and process

• Where does the money for Lincoln Creates projects come from?

Lincoln Creates has been made possible with some of the money raised from the public auction of the Lincoln Imps in 2021 and a £20,000 contribution from Lincoln BIG in 2023. Lincoln Creates is managed by Lincoln BIG and supported by partners, including local arts organisations.

• What do other Lincoln Creates projects include?

• Writing Wild Workshops: with artist Ruth Charnock located at Lincoln’s Liquorice Park and Happy Culture Café
• Piecing Us Together Trail: 40 businesses across the City Centre with artist Mel Langton
• Wigford Way Bridge underpass: with artist James Mayle and Luke St Clair-Pedroza located at Brayford Waterfront
• Giant Jeans Installation: with artist Kerry Gibson
• All We Need Is Love Projections: with artists from Different Light located outside House of Fraser
• The Joiners Arms Bike Stands: with artist Kenny Roach and Landlord Paul Mann
• Dinos on the Loose Storybook: with artist Sian Ellis
• City Centre Stories: with artists Beth Lambert and Laura Mabbutt from Brew Projects
• Origami window and store displays: with Bluebird Arts and Paperchase working with Zen Pulp

To find out more about Lincoln Creates, please click here.

For more information on Lincoln Creates, please contact Lincoln BIG’s Marketing and Communications Executive: Jenny Damp, jenny.damp@lincolnbig.co.uk