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The Royston Road project was a combination of artist-community collaborations and artist-residencies supporting the regeneration of two public spaces in the North of Glasgow.
Artists Graham Fagen and Toby Paterson worked as part of the design team with landscape architects, Loci Design to develop the two spaces into community parks: The Spire Park and Molendinar Park. Located at opposite ends of the “Royston Corridor” the creation of the parks involved local residents and community groups at the various stages of design, development and implementation of ideas. This involvement inspired an ongoing programme of arts and sporting activities and the forming of a community board motivated to continue the momentum generated by the redevelopment of the area.

Artists

• Toby Paterson
• Graham Fagen

Funding

SAC Award amount

£349,300.00

Project total cost

£794,200.00

Funding purpose

Towards the cost of involving artists in developing two public spaces in the Royston Road area.

(Please note dates and details correct at time of award.)

Consultation & Commissioning Process

The artists were involved from the very early stages of the design process when local community groups were welcomed into the decision-making. The joint working of artists, landscape architects, community and contractors encouraged shared sense of trust and purpose within The Royston Road Project.

Part of Graham Fagen’s work involved the planting of trees, shrubs and a new specimen of rose at key locations. Members of the local communities were involved in choosing a name for the rose and for nominating people to whom the trees and shrubs could be dedicated.

Paid training and employment for local people was created through the contractors Landwise enhancing the sense of ownership and legacy for the two parks.

In 2002, The Royston Road Project was awarded the Scottish Urban Regeneration Forum Award for best practice in using the creative arts in regeneration and inclusion.

Visual Art Projects (VAP) and then
“the centre: commissioning artists in place” coordinated the roles of the artists in this project. Toby Paterson and Graham Fagen were proposed for this project by VAP as practitioners who could work in a consultative manner with the design team and community.

Outcomes

Collaborations between artists, community, landscape architects and contractors in the creation of two public parks:

• The Spire Park with hard landscaping and planting.
• Molindenar Park with landscaping and waterfall.