‘Pillars of the Broads’ Exhibition opens

A new 3D exhibition ‘Pillars of the Broads’ – launched in Norwich, is connecting the City of Stories with the Broads National Park.

The ‘Pillars of the Broads’ exhibition, an interactive installation which aims to educate, inspire and encourage people to explore the Broads throughout the year, launched on Friday 18 March.

The exhibit can be found outside the Forum, next to Cotswold Outdoor Norwich, Theatre Street, and runs until Oct 2022.

Thirteen four-sided pillars, made up of concrete and wooden cubes showcase the huge wealth of cultural and natural heritage within the National Park, and highlight the link between the Broads, Norwich and Norfolk.

The exhibit’s central feature is a large map of the National Park area, allowing people to locate landscape features such as the Broads, waterways, mills, nature reserves and churches.

The pillars themselves depict the special qualities of the Broads and include photographs, artwork, drawings, haikus and kennings from pupils from Caister Junior School and Charter Academy, inviting people to connect with the nature, history, folklore and culture of the Broads.

Broads’ wildlife icons otters and kingfishers are featured, plus lesser-known endangered species found mainly in this region, such as the Swallowtail butterfly, fen orchid and fen raft spider.

Scannable QR codes let people find out where to go walking, cycling, boating, sailing, canoeing, paddleboarding and to best view the night sky.

The aim of the exhibition is to create a wealth of information to educate, inspire and encourage residents and visitors to access the broads at any time of the year.

Creative Giants commissioned artist Richard Wolfströme to design the exhibition, working with local schools, and Broads Authority staff Rob Leigh, Tom Barrett, Laura Middleton, Emily Chittenden and Jess Tunstall.

Designer and artist, Richard Wolfströme, said:

“It’s been an absolute pleasure to work on this wonderful project and I have come to appreciate the Broads in a much deeper way. The Broads Pillars aim to inspire, educate and surprise with a broad range of eclectic words and pictures covering many subjects for the young and old.

“It’s an installation that will keep one coming back to discover another ’nugget’ about the rich heritage, the nature and its landscapes, and the many activities one can experience throughout the Broads National Park.”
Broads Authority Chief Executive, John Packman, remarked that:

“It’s incredible to see the cultural, historical and natural history of the National Park so beautifully presented in this exhibit.

“It really puts the Broads on the map, as the heart of this region, and I hope it inspires people to get out there and explore the treasures on their doorstep.”

Broads Authority Head of Communications, Rob Leigh, said of the exhibit:

“We want to connect people in the City with their National Park, which starts on the River Wensum in Norwich, just on the other side of the cathedral grounds.

“The exhibition showcases what Norfolk has to offer, from a bustling city, alive with culture, history, shopping and stories, to the serenity of the countryside and a boating playground – a home to a quarter of our country’s rarest species but also relished by 8 million visitors every year.”

The display is supported by EXPERIENCE, a €23.3 million project co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (€16 million) through the Interreg France (Channel) England Programme, the Broads Authority, the Forum Trust and Norwich, The City of Stories. It is a Creative Giants project with concept and design by Richard Wolfströme and fabrication and installation from Setworks.

The exhibit can be found outside the Forum, next to Cotswold Outdoor Norwich, Theatre Street, Norwich and runs from 18March until Oct 2022.

Monday 28 March 2022