The Bognor Regis Business Improvement District has submitted a planning application which, if approved, will signpost an exciting new art installation celebrating the town’s rich seaside history.
The 'Bognor Regis Time Portal' is a brand new, free, innovative arts and cultural experience for the town, using Augmented Reality to bring the past to life.
Augmented reality takes history beyond museums and books, and this free and easy-to-use technology will let viewers reimagine Bognor Regis's heritage in the very same spaces as they took place over a century ago, and engage with Bognor its rich seaside heritage in a completely new and immersive way.
The planning application is for a brightly coloured, futuristic looking “portal” frame that signposts the location of the augmented reality experience, which cannot be seen with the naked eye. However, using mobile phones or tablets, by following a QR code on the frame and passing through, audiences will see and hear from Mary Wheatland – working class swimming instructor, bathing machine operator and life-saver credited with saving over 30 lives, and experience the spectacle of three full sized wooden bathing machines positioned on the main beach for the first time since 1923.
The portal has been designed to stand out, attracting attention and interest from people, drawing them closer to find out more. It has been designed to withstand the rigours of the proposed seafront location, using a material that is robust and easily cleaned.
If the planning application is approved, the physical portal and Augmented Reality art installation will be in place from late March 2024 to the end of September 2025.
The Artist
The exciting project is being delivered by Bognor Regis resident Matt Reed, an artist with a wealth of experience of working in various creative fields, including the film and TV industry, architectural glass design, wallpaper design, music video direction, and augmented reality art. Matt has shown his work in prestigious venues such as the Institute of Contemporary Art and the National Portrait Gallery, and has recently completed his Masters in Architectural and Urban Design.
Speaking about the installation, Matt said, “I’ve been working on this project for the last few years, and, with my team I’m really excited at the prospect of bringing this to Bognor Regis, celebrating the life of incredible local figure, Mary Wheatland.”
Working with local partners
In developing the Bognor Regis Time Portal, Matt has taken great care to ensure historical accuracy. He has worked closely with local heritage experts, including members of the Bognor Regis Heritage Partnership and spent time researching at the Museum. The script is being developed in conjunction with a local expert on Mary Wheatland, and will be brought to life by a well known local actor.
Other partners are involved in bringing the installation to a wider audience, including schools and the wider community, with the BID, Artswork and VAAC committing ongoing support. The artist, Matt Reed gave a presentation to Bognor Regis Town Council’s Policy & Resources Committee on 31st July, where Elected Members were introduced to the concept, shown images of the proposed installation and asked for their support in locating it adjacent to the accessible decked platform they manage on the seafront.
Audience
While the primary audience for the installation is the residents of Bognor Regis, the installation is likely to attract new visitors to the town. Heritage can help drive strategic goals around tourism, community engagement, economic development, localism, partnership working and most importantly community pride and developing a strong sense of place.
The use of Augmented Reality technology in this way is very new, and has the potential to draw significant attention from the arts and technology communities. The committed support of Niantic Labs evidences the global interest in and potential growth for the “Time Portal” project trial in Bognor Regis, and it’s been estimated that around 80,000 will explore the installation in a slightly different way through their website.
The BID’s involvement
The Augmented Reality artwork is as one of four installations being delivered from late March 2024, using funding awarded from Arun District Council’s allocation from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. A further development will be the creation of a new thematic Heritage Trail, focused on bathing machines. This will include the proposed AR project on the main beach, the restored, full sized original bathing machine at the Museum and the town council’s miniature machine on display in a new location.
The multiple installations form part of a wider project to change perceptions of Bognor Regis, which was identified as a priority by all local partners through the Bognor Regis Town Centre Forum, which includes officer and Elected Members representatives from, BR Town Council, BR Regeneration Board, BR BID, Arun District Council and West Sussex County Council. While improving perceptions of the town is a shared goal, this particular project is being driven by Bognor Regis BID.
BID COO, Heather Allen said: “Businesses have been really clear that the BID should focus on promoting Bognor Regis as a tourism destination, and changing the way people think about the town. This project does just that, and it’s really exciting to support an initiative that reflects one of the town core values by celebrating Bognor Regis’s rich heritage in a really future-focussed way by embracing the very latest technology. It’s already generating a lot of interest, and hopefully the release of this detailed information will encourage people to support the project as it goes through the planning process”
Funding
Almost 79% of the total costs to deliver the project has been met by generous in-kind support from the creatives, technicians and partners. This “in kind” support is dominated by Niantic Labs (creators of Pokemon Go) who have agreed to waive 18 months of commercial fees to support the project through their 8th Wall project. This evidences the commitment, interest and support of creative and local partners to see the "Time Portal" realised in Bognor Regis. Less than £5,000 of UKSPF funding has been committed to the Augmented Reality project. An application for the remaining funding has been submitted to Arts Council England, with the outcome expected in early October.
Accessibility
Accessibility has been central to project development, starting with locating the Augmented Reality Mary Wheatland and bathing machines next to the accessible platform licenced to Bognor Regis Town Council. The portal frame has been designed to accommodate the widest mobility scooter on the market, and information signage and QR codes will be positioned at a range of heights. Following a presentation to Bognor Regis Town Council’s Policy & Resources Committee in late July Cllr Needs offered to provide additional input on accessibility considerations as the project progressed. Financial and social barriers will be removed by locating the "Time Portal", on an accessible platform on the beach with 24/7 free access. To counter digital exclusion, iPads will be made available at key points throughout the 18- month installation.
Full details of the proposed project are available by following the link below, and on the BID’s website:
You can view and comment on the planning application and view all associated documents on the Arun District Council Planning portal, using planning reference: BR/200/23/PL