THE STORY BEHIND THE PRODUCTION

 

On World Circus Day, 21st April 2018, Staffordshire-based, Realise charity, honoured the father of modern circus, Philip Astley, with the unveiling of a series of bespoke 15ft metalwork sculptures.

2018 marked the 250th anniversary of the modern circus.

Made by our Artworks team at Achieve Training, the project was funded by the charity with support from the Business Improvement District, situated on George Street in the birth town of Philip Astley are the UK’s first permanent monument to Philip Astley and his legacy of the circus.

MAKING THE MEMORIAL

The sculptures were designed by Newcastle-based Candida Kelsall and then manufactured by our Artworks apprentice, Liam Robinson. The memorial features metalwork silhouettes of a ringmaster surrounded by two horses on pyramid bases.

Apprentice, Liam Robinson, 17, from Tunstall said: “Working on these sculptures has been amazing and seeing them installed has made me extremely proud.”

The memorial took two months to produce from start to concept to installation.

“To me, these projects are important because of the skills we share with the young apprentices. They get the experience needed to move into jobs and careers in engineering.”

Phil Brown, Artworks Manager.

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Artworks - Image Blocks (15)

THE HAND

Have you seen our metalwork hand on display in Hanley? Made from recycled metal this really is a unique work of art! 

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Artworks - Image Blocks (17)

THE REGENERATION TREE

Our Regeneration Tree steel structure, stands at the heart of a community hub in Blurton, Stoke-on-Trent.

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CHESTERTON MINERS

This memorial stands in and respects those who lost their lives in the 1937 Holditch Colliery disaster.

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