A £35,000 artwork meant to brighten a notorious Spalding grot spot now looks set to be placed elsewhere because of its size, according to those behind it.
When announced in March 2023, Flos Pompa (which is latin for flower parade) was meant to brighten Abbey Passage.
Now Transported Arts, the charity behind it, has applied for planning permission to put it on a Herring Lane facing wall of a Grade One listed building on Double Street.
It’s worked on the project with South Holland District Council which provided £5,000 through the Spalding Town Improvement budget, with £30,000 coming from an Arts Council England National Lottery Grant.
Since then 390 people have helped artists from Greenfield Pottery create the work, including in several public workshops.
The artwork has received some criticism from those who feel the money should be spent on other items, though the grant is only for arts funding.
Concerns had also been expressed about the current state of Abbey Passage which is known to be a place where homeless people sleep.
Sophie Arnold, of Transported Arts, said the decision to move the artwork was based on its ‘unprecedented’ size.
“A need was recognised for a location that can accommodate the size and brightness of the piece, as well as allowing easy access to view it, and we’re hopeful that the proposed new site on Herring Lane will achieve this,” she said. “Thanks to such incredible community enthusiasm, the Flos Pompa ceramic mural has grown bigger and brighter than we ever imagined.
“It is a more open and visible site in Spalding: a prominent location welcoming those arriving by water taxi or walking the riverside, and anyone passing along one of Spalding’s busiest roads or using the neighbouring car park.”
