We have appointed artists to develop artwork to transform the air space above Cornhill leading to Market Square, in Chelmsford city centre. You can find out how to contribute your ideas.
Public art at Cornhill, the street to Market Square
There are two artist commissions, one for the artwork itself, as well as a preceding public engagement commission, which will inspire the artwork.
Once the engagement artist has completed their work, the public artist will work up designs for a new permanent public artwork. This work will transform the air space above Cornhill, the street leading to Market Square in Chelmsford city centre.
The public engagement artist's role is to gather stories, insights and creative responses. This will include a creative resource for the public artist to capture local perspectives and histories. This will directly inspire and inform the foundation of the public artists’ design work.
Public engagement is central to this project. The public engagement artist will achieve this through workshops and creative activities,. They will facilitate a conversation with local communities, including market traders, city centre shoppers and car park users.
The final artwork will reflect Chelmsford’s unique sense of place and resonates with those who use and value this space.
The engagement activity may draw out:
personal and community stories connected to Cornhill and Chelmsford
everyday experiences of the space as it is used now
heritage knowledge or under represented histories of the area
ideas, feelings, or aspirations about the future character of Cornhill
visual or creative material that can inspire aspects of the final artwork
The engagement artist will also receive mentoring from the lead artist.
The engagement is being planned so it is inclusive, accessible, playful, informal or curiosity driven.
You can take part in the online consultation and help shape Cornhill's new artwork.
The public artist will develop an artwork that significantly contributes to the design and environment of the Cornhill. Cornhill is part of the main frontage to the indoor market, the street opposite the library that leads to Market Square.
The artwork will help transform the Cornhill area, creating a distinctive feature that creates a landmark fostering pride and belonging. The artist will be considering how the work:
enhances the design and character of the public realm
provides a sense of connectivity and orientation
celebrates the site’s heritage and identity
can reflect diverse local stories, cultural heritage, and the community’s connection to the site
fosters civic pride and ownership, and belonging
It will be either:
a suspended artwork at Cornhill between the multi-storey car park and High Chelmer shopping centre, or
a work that attaches to the multi-storey façade along the length of the vibrant Chelmsford market
The artwork could be a single work, or made up of several elements which could cover the whole space, or parts of it.
The artwork could include light and illumination, vibrancy and colour, reflection and kinetic movement. It should provide a sense of connectivity and orientation, celebrate the site location, and contribute to civic ownership of the public realm.
The artist will be looking at site context, and having discussions with the engagement artist, ourselves, and stakeholders.
Public engagement is integral, to ensure local input through project inception, development and its legacy. This will help ensure that the artwork resonates with Chelmsford’s sense of identity and place.
The artwork will be owned and maintained by us.
Timeline
Public engagement: July 2026 (led by engagement artist)
Design concepts developed: end of July to end of August 2026
Planning consultation: Autumn 2026
Fabrication and installation timeline: January 2027
Cornhill is the pedestrianised street that leads from Market Road (opposite Chelmsford Library) to Market Square. The spaces were formed in the 1970s, when the High Chelmer Shopping Centre and Chelmsford’s Indoor Retail Market with car park above were built.
The square is an important public open space and thoroughfare. It is part of the shopping core of the city centre, connected to the park and Chelmsford library and is on the walking route to the Essex Cricket Club Ground. It is popular but quite a low-key civic space.
The mature plane trees and benches within the square provide shade and seating, popular during the open hours of High Chelmer shopping centre and the market stalls.
The space is bustling during usual business hours with market stalls spilling out of the ground floor. However, out of hours, the passageway and market square offer little attraction to draw in passers-by. During these periods, the space is absent of identity and redundant in purpose, particularly during the evening.
West Square was re-named Market Square in 1999 to commemorate the 800th anniversary of Chelmsford being granted a market charter by the King. Cornhill retained its name
The ‘market’ originally was in the high street opposite Shire Hall. Market Square/High Chelmer is the past site of the cattle market that existed in the early 20th century. The area remains an important commercial centre today.
You can also view the following related information: