Welcome to Birmingham! How local people and artists transformed Digbeth Coach Station into an award-winning gateway

Performance indicators  

The art installations have been hugely successful and have had praise from public, press and public services alike. Some of the comments can be seen below:

“The coach station is notable for a public art programme which sets down a marker for future developments in an area long designated as a future cultural quarter.”

Terry Grimley, Arts Correspondent Birmingham Post

“I am astonished how good this has turned out – it’s a lesson in how to create something pretty darn good on a budget,” one forum member commented, while another added: “It may even persuade me to use a coach sometime. This is a proper gateway.”

Sykscraper.com

“You can’t miss it, it has a huge impact. I am not from Birmingham I am from Blackpool and the artwork combined with the new station is my first impression of the city, and we are impressed.”

Olga and David from Blackpool (National Express customers – post Digbeth Public Art Project launch) Birmingham Coach Station

“This is an early and brilliant visual project that relates to what the Big City Plan is all about – using cultural, artistic and social initiatives to lead transformational change of all aspects of an area’s image, economy and character.”

Councillor Neville Summerfield, Cabinet Member for Regeneration at Birmingham City Council

“I am delighted that visitors to Birmingham, who increase in number year‐on‐year, will now be able to access our city through such an excellent gateway.”

Councillor Mike Whitby, Leader of Birmingham City Council

"The first entry point to any city is really important because it creates a first impression, [a coach station] is a place where people have to pause for a moment. It's a place of enormous emotion, it's either a place where you are delighted to see someone or it’s a place where you're distraught at someone leaving; so it's an emotionally interesting place where people will have the chance to reflect on their environment. We hope to reach out to as many people as possible and get them to think about the ways in which they engage with the arts."

Sally Luton, Director of Arts Council West Midlands

Claire Farrell provided Governance International with this case study on 18th May 2010.