Banksy’s pinwheel finds a new home

9:00am - 16 December 2022
Banksy's pinwheel on display at Weston Museum

Iconic artwork and colourful cultural displays are reigniting Weston-super-Mare’s identity and growing reputation as an arts destination.

See Banksy’s Dismaland pinwheel

See the striking pinwheel from Banksy’s Dismaland which is now on display in Weston.

The pinwheel was part of Banksy’s dystopian theme park in 2015, which brought international attention and huge crowds to the town. 

The colourful structure has been in storage since then but in 2019 we received £50,000 through the Coastal Revival Fund, which was used to renovate and install the pinwheel.

This week it popped up on display in Weston Museum, in the town centre.  

The museum, in Burlington Street, is free to enter. It also houses exhibits detailing the long history of the area and seaside town.

The usual opening hours are 10am-4pm Tuesday to Saturday but the museum will be closed for Christmas from 4pm on Friday 23 December to 10am on Tuesday 10 January.

artists impression of garden in Weston-super-Mare

Plans for SEE MONSTER garden

After eight weeks of wowing visitors, SEE MONSTER closed its doors for the last time last month.

As part of its legacy, one of the large trees from the platform has been planted in Clarence Park in Weston-super-Mare.

Other trees, shrubs and plants suitable for the seafront will create a community garden on the Beach Lawns.

Half a million people engaged with the installation during its time in Weston, including:

  • tens of thousands of visitors seeing the stunning drone shows, showing what can be done with new STEAM technologies
  • Community Think Tank groups were created, which will continue in a different format to continue their good work
  • more than 70,000 school children, young people, scouts, youth groups and students visited the Monster, with educational trips focusing on learning through STEAM programmes
  • an increase in footfall for the town centre, with businesses seeing more than 50,000 more shoppers through their doors during SEE MONSTER
  • the new community garden on the Beach Lawns will include almost 1,000 plants, shrubs, trees and sleepers from the Monster, and a boules area. Other assets from the Monster are still under final agreements.

SEE MONSTER, was one of ten major projects commissioned by UNBOXED: Creativity in the UK.

It demonstrated what is possible when creative minds from science, engineering, art and other sectors come together to collaborate on new ideas.

super wonder shrine (Paul Blakemore credit)
Photo courtesy of Paul Blakemore

Super Shrine brings technicolour to the High Street

Glorious technicolour has arrived on Weston’s High Street in the shape of the Super Wonder Shrine.

The vibrant public artwork has been co-created by internationally acclaimed public realm artist Morag Myerscough, with local artists and residents.

It officially open last week on the pedestrianised space at the corner of the High Street and Regent Street, known as Big Lamp Corner.

The structure is part of ‘21st Century super Shrines’ heritage project launched in May last year and managed by Culture Weston.

It is part of a four-year High Street Heritage Action Zone (HAZ) cultural programme, funded by Historic England, in partnership with Arts Council England and the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

There are plans to develop a curated programme of free, outdoor ‘happenings’ presented by Culture Weston at the temporary Shrine in the months ahead. These will include music, spoken word and art, alongside a regular people’s platform of community activities.