From 14-30 July, 2023 at Middleton Hall, 15,000 people experienced the Place Between immersive installation. Hundreds of people took part in daily flower-garland making sessions and that were incorporated into the final artwork, which included 20,000 plants and other materials, integrated with 200,000 of Rebecca Louise Law’s own curated items. The exhibition was accompanied by a soundscape by Jason Singh. 

Who is on the project team? (designer, consultants, etc)

Centre:mk management team, Milton Keynes International Festival, Helen Powell of Strategic Insight Consultancy, Sound Artist Jason Singh and Installation Artist Rebecca Louise Law

Describe the context of this project, its neighbourhood and people.

Centre:mk, opened in 1979, is located at the heart of the city of Milton Keynes. It is not only the high street of the city itself, but also the region’s primary shopping and dining destination, attracting over 22 million visitors a year. Having only recently been awarded city status, we felt it was important to create a community project where everyone could come together to be part of it’s creation. Middleton Hall, the huge 60m x 40m space at the heart of the shopping centre hosting events such as The Job show, Wedding Show as well as the centre’s own Fashion Weekends and Christmas Grotto was chosen for the location. In 2023, centre:mk commissioned as part of Milton Keynes International Festival, "The Place Between", a huge art installation in that space that would not only bring together individuals and communities invited to be involved in making the artwork, but to create a free, totally immersive experience for all visitors to the city. Working with two artists across different disciplines, artist Rebecca Louise Law and sound artist Jason Singh created The Place Between, which opened on 14 July through to 30 July. 345, 8 metre strands of flowers and plants filled Middleton Hall, that visitors could walk through and immerse themselves in the installation, whilst listening to a soundtrack recorded entirely from plants, some of which was recorded from the bio-data of the 40+ year old plants and trees throughout the centre. The design was fully accessible, with space for wheelchairs.

Please share any data or figures that support your entry, for example increased footfall, happiness surveys, event attendance and/or observed changes in behaviour.

218 positive testamonials written in the visitor feedback book 1,410 people and organisations were involved in the creation of the installation including Blecca-Lea, Branch-out MK, Bridgman & Bridgman LLP, Camphill MK Communities, Fishermead Citizens, Grand Mentors, Growing People, John Bailey, John Lewis, M&S, Milton Keynes Hindu Association (MKHA), Milton Keynes Nipponzan Myohoji Buddhist Peace Pagoda & Temple, MKACT, MK College, Morrisons (Community Champion), Sikh Society MK, The Frank Moran Centre, Tim Skelton, YMCA MK and Waitrose 14,901 people experienced the installation Footfall (Middleton Hall Specifically) 520,822 + 14.3% year on year 35 pieces of global PR coverage across TV, radio, online and print including BBC Radio4 Today programme, BBC World Service, Heart Four Counties, BBC3 Counties, BBC News Online, ITV Anglia, & Art Daily PR Value £148,950+ PR Reach 74,619,290+

Did the project make a positive social and environmental contribution? If if it was a temporary intervention, is there a legacy plan? What happened to its tenants, users, materials and programming?

The Place Between, became an immersive space of contemplation for people to think deeply about life, death and all that is between. It was an extremely powerful emotional experience, especially for those who had recently been through emotional trauma such as bereavement, to consider our impact on our living green planet and how our future will be dictated by our actions. It encouraged visitors to make small changes in their lives, for a more sustainable future.1,401 individuals and community organisations who helped to create the installation demonstrate the reach and social impact in the region. In a survey carried out by International Festival, 98% said it had enhanced a sense of community in Milton Keynes and 97% said it had enhanced their sense of pride in Milton Keynes. The most striking thing about the installation was its location in the heart of a shopping centre. Normally only seen in a gallery, this commission brought world class art into an everyday environment, making it freely accessible to all. 70 retailers participated and experienced the installation including Marks & Spencer donating their unsold flowers to the creation process.The dried flowers and organic materials used in the installation were collected to be re-used by the artist Rebecca Louise Law to create more installations. Even dust from the flowers is collected to fill picture frames for smaller pieces.The huge success of the installation has created the appetite to produce another free artistic installation in centre:mk in the summer 2024