Public Arts

Public Arts

Public Arts, now trading as Beam, is an arts charity with a focus on increasing understanding of public art, public realm, urban design and architecture. Richard was a senior manager, responsible for the development of the concept of the Creative Centre for the Built Environment (CCBE) and the strategic management of the People Making Places (PMP) programme. He also led the commissioning and consultancy team who undertook public art commissions and public art strategy development for external clients. 

A key project during this time was The Green, funded through Yorkshire Forward’s Urban Renaissance programme. This saw the temporary closure of key streets in seven towns and cities across the Yorkshire region. The aim was to prompt debate about public spaces and regeneration through the disruption of the space by the installation of a temporary piece of public art. The Green sculpture was designed by Walter Jack with the project delivered by the landscape architects Whitelaw Turkington. The temporary structures were draped in real turf, installed in the early hours and left over a long weekend. This provided the local councils with the opportunity to consult with local people on a range of issues, to test the closure of key streets and use the spaces in ways they wouldn’t normally be used. The structure and surrounding turf was adapted for each space making it unique to that location. 

Richard King Public Arts Beam The Green

The People Making Places Programme (PMP) focused on the engagement of professionals and non-professionals in thinking about the built environment. This included the provision of:

  • School workshops, where children worked with architects on creative projects to design their own public spaces and buildings
  • Training for local council officers and councillors to develop their understanding of good design, public realm and the built environment
  • Summer schools where over an intensive long weekend people with varying degrees of design experience were challenged to look at their surrounding in new ways through creative and design challenges
  • Masterclasses and talks from key architects and artists from across the world

​The Creative Centre for the Built Environment (CCBE) concept was part of the architecture centre movement charged with the task of creating a physical centre built alongside Beam’s listed Orangery base to house all its activities. The world renowned architect Will Alsop was commissioned to produce a design and Richard was an integral part of developing the design, the concept, the business plan and programme. 

​Richard co-ordinated the small commissioning and consultancy team, who were a trading element of Public Arts, generating income through external consultancy work. This included a range of public art commissions across the country as well as the development of public arts and arts strategies for a range of organisations. He monitored progress on all the contracts, reviewing time spent, progress with contracts, client liaison and strategy writing. 

Richard King Consultancy Public Arts Beam

The role Richard’s demonstrated Richard’s experience in:

  • ​Architecture, built environment and landscape architecture issues
  • Commissioning and working with artists
  • Identifying creative approaches to community engagement
  • Challenging existing ways of work by taking an artist led approach
  • Dealing with region wide regeneration issues
  • Public engagement and consultation
  • Partnership development
  • Press, publicity and marketing
  • Managing staff
  • Managing external contracts
  • Financial management
  • Planning permission and listed building consents