Plans to install 2m high sculpture outside Peel Centenary Centre

A two-metre high sculpture could soon be in place outside the Peel Centenary Centre if plans are given the go ahead.

The centre has submitted an application to install the artwork just outside the main entrance.

There is currently a small-scale version of the piece called ‘On Ice’ by Manx sculptor Robert Jones on display in the centre but the plan is to create a two-metre version for the outside.

Peel Centenary Centre is run by volunteers and was opened in 2003 to provide a space to host theatre productions, music concerts, as well as exhibitions, workshops and lectures.

In the planning application by the centre, it says: ‘As part of the centre’s commitment to supporting the local creative community, Manx sculptor Robert Jones has been commissioned to install a large scale fabrication of his tabletop sculpture ‘On Ice’. The piece is on display in the centre.’

The artwork will be made of steel and then pained and lacquered. It will be placed on a concrete plinth.

The application says: ‘Robert Jones has gained a reputation for his use of upcycled steel and other materials in abstract forms. He is an elected member of the Royal Society for Sculptors.

‘The proposed piece will be a great example of the engaging combination of shape and form typical of Robert’s work.

‘Robert is passionate about bringing contemporary abstract sculpture to new audiences and making it accessible to all and this installation will enable a wide range of people, both visiting the centre and passing by, to experience public art of a genre that is not always visible in the Isle of Man.’

The application also argues the sculpture is appropriate to the surrounding area and ‘it will make a positive contribution to the streetscape and the character of the street’.

The application will be considered by the planning committee in due course.