Celebrate the river sculptures

Haverfordwest will host an opening event to mark the first new permanent public artwork in the County town for 60 years on Saturday 30 June between 2 – 4pm at the Riverside Shopping Centre.

To open the event Haverfordwest Mayor Sue Murray will unveil an interpretation panel, which is adjacent to the pedestrian bridge in the Riverside Shopping Centre at 2 pm.

During the afternoon there will be free drop-in art workshops along the riverfront, with opportunities to weave mini willow creations and make origami butterflies carrying wishes for the town’s future.

A multi-media presentation documenting the development of the sculptures can be viewed at the spacetocreate base opposite Wilkinsons during the afternoon, and Paddlewest will provide free canoe trips to view the sculptures from the river.

A special guest appearance of the puppet dog created by Toby Downing for River of Lights in 2017, will promenade between the sites, accompanied by Welsh folk music from renowned local musician and composer Peter Stacey.

Studio Weave, an award winning art and architecture studio was commissioned to develop the designs for the series of river-borne sculptures, which are titled ‘Cleddau Reaches’.

The series of three sculptural pieces are placed along the riverside in Haverfordwest’s town centre, and are adjacent to the Old Bridge, New Bridge and rear of the Old Post Office. The sculptures set out to reconnect the town with its natural environment, marking the route between Bridge Meadow to the north of the town and Fortune’s Frolic to the south.

The sculptures are made of bronze, and were cast locally by MB Fine Arts, a local foundry. The bough tree forms signify the return of native trees and wildlife and reference the woodland of the Bridge Meadow

Michelle Cain, a local artist, made the willow ‘gifts’ which are installed in the boughs of the sculptures. These are, like the willow and reed beds of Fortunes Frolic, temporary in nature and as such an invitation for future renewal.

The event marks the official end of a 3-year art and regeneration initiative in Haverfordwest focused on the river and its environs, supported by the Arts Council of Wales through its Ideas: People: Places Programme.

All welcome. No booking required.