Public vote opens to select artist who will create the Agatha Christie artwork

The public vote has opened to select the artist who will create a new permanent piece of art to celebrate the life and work of Dame Agatha Christie.

During the autumn, Torbay Council issued a public tender. The brief invited artists to express interest in the project and outline their concept for a new piece of art to be part of the Torquay harbourside and Strand improvements. The project is being entirely funded by the Towns Fund from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.

A panel comprising representatives from the Council, Agatha Christie Limited, Torquay Town Board, Torbay Culture, and the Agatha Christie Festival Limited reviewed all applications. From those a shortlist of five have been selected: David A Annand, Elisabeth Hadley, Gordon Young, Hazel Reeves, and Yorkshire Fine Arts (Steve Winterburn and Harvey Gardiner, working with The Lost Foundry, Devon).

These artists were then invited to submit a short film presentation to explain their idea to the public, with a supporting document (pdf).

These films and documents are now live on the Torbay Council website where you can also vote for your preferred idea. Click the link below to go to the Council press release:

Image: The Strand and harbourside, Torquay (Kay Elliott)