2013 : December

Nuneaton Ropewalk’s first ever Christmas Tree Festival.

The trees were placed on the Ropewalk bridge in rows along the glass walls, and they looked absolutely wonderful all together. Lots of attention was given to the display by the general public! As we had hoped and in the spirit of this community event, the trees were distributed to some families in need by Camphill Community Centre. The winners were presented with their prizes and photos were placed on social media platforms. Thanks to all for participating. Janet Hartley Byng (Centre Administrator, Ropewalk Shopping Centre, Nuneaton)

2013 : September 7th - 28th

Sunflower Trail Nuneaton Ropewalk

Artists Alisha Miller and Joanne Lole were at the forefront of a "Sunflower Trail" community project, which was being supported by Mary Ann Evans Hospice. It featured special pieces of sunflower artwork, with the aim of attracting more shoppers and boosting business, as part of Warwickshire County Council's Operation Footfall scheme. The six-foot high sculptures have been designed and manufactured in Nuneaton by the Go See Team, with help from local craftsmen Ian Wills and Alan Fox and Subcon Laser Cutting's general manager Tom Mongan and IT manager Ian Jesson. This resulted in production of an additional ten sculptures so the trail included around 30 in total." Joanne added: "We would like to say a big thank you for the extremely positive response from Operation Footfall, the community, town centre venues and especially Mary Ann Evans Hospice, who gave the project enormous support and ensured its success." Alisha said: "We were really pleased to have been able to use local floral sculptures which had been created to brighten Nuneaton town centre and raise awareness of a local charity.

13-Oct-2014

Art Alert WW1 Heritage lottery Funded Project

Art Alert Nuneaton is pleased to announce that they have been awarded £10,000 by the National Heritage Lottery Fund to deliver a Nuneaton WW1 project to research when the Lancs, Dubs and Royals visited Nuneaton in Jan-March 1915 before being sent to Gallipoli as part of the 29th Division.

The 18 month intergenerational project is seeking to tell the story of when 3000 soldiers from the Lancashire, Dubliners and Royals regiments were billeted with families throughout Stockingford and other areas of Nuneaton, before being sent to Gallipoli in the Great World War. Local Historian Peter Lee, who is collaborating with Art Alert on the project, says “3000 young, fit, tanned, swashbuckling professional soldiers were marched through the town in their full dress uniform to their billets throughout the area to the thrill of thousands of Nuneaton factory wenches whose only romantic prospects had up until that time been grimy miners and brickyard hands. Bearing in mind when this happened no-one knew where all this would end. Many soldiers thought we'll get the soldiering bit done then get back to the girls in Nuneaton!! Few did of course but for those who did there were a few happy endings and a lot of tragedy too.”

Art Alert intend to work with local history and heritage groups, local school children and members of the community to research and collate the local story and ultimately create a textile hanging to represent the event.

As part of the project will explore what life was like for the people in Nuneaton during WW1 and introduce local children to some of the essential home handcraft skills of the time. 

Anyone who has any connection, memorabilia or stories they recall being told of the visit and time around WW1 and Nuneaton are welcome to contact the project leader