Angel of the North

What?

• The Angel of the North is an Antony Gormley-designed sculpture located on former colliery pithead baths near Gateshead
• The Angel is one of the most viewed pieces of art in the world. Overlooking the A1 at Gateshead in the North East of England, an estimated 90,000 motorists a day pass the sculpture. The angel can also be seen by rail passengers travelling on the East Coast mainline
• The site, at the head of the Team valley, had been selected as the location for a landmark piece of art, to mark the approach to Gateshead. The move was part of Gateshead Council’s programme of public art, which was formally set up in 1986 to address the absence of a contemporary art gallery in the area
• The council’s aim is to install artworks to provide a ‘sense of place’ through unique works of art visible daily to the public
• The artist Antony Gormley won the contract to design the public art at the Team Valley site. He designed the 20 metre high, 54 metre wide structure made of cor-ten steel

When?

• From start to finish the project took eight years. Having earmarked the site in July 1990, the council then awarded the contract for the artwork to the award-winning artist Antony Gormley in January 1994. The angel was erected on 15 February 1998

How?

• Gateshead Council's Art in Public Places Panel first earmarked the site in 1990
• Funding for the sculpture was secured from the Arts Council Lottery Fund, the European Regional Development Fund, Northern Arts (now Arts Council England North East) and through private sponsorship
• Hundreds of people were involved in producing the Angel. As well as artist Antony Gormley, the team which brought the angel to life included Ove Arup & Partners, Hartlepool Steel Fabrications, Newcastle University Geomatics Department, Grafton Software, Teesside profilers and Thomas Armstrong

Summary

• The Angel has won a series of prestigious awards, and the Council describes the impact of the artwork as the “600million effect” – referring to the urban redevelopment of Gateshead which the Angel triggered
• The Gateshead Quays development, one of the largest urban regeneration programmes in Europe, is predicted to create up to 6,000 jobs
• There is evidence that other local authorities have been inspired by the Angel as an example of arts-led regeneration. The Angel also won the award for Beacon Status for Regeneration through Culture, Sport and Tourism in 2001
• The reputation of Gateshead on a national level was boosted for the groundbreaking artwork, and the Council credit it with giving them the boost to secure funding for BALTIC and Gateshead Millennium Bridge, among others