Project to celebrate Basildon's cultural achievements with new flag (From Southend Standard)

Project to celebrate Basildon's cultural achievements with new flag

1:00pm Friday 1st June 2012 in Echo News By Emma Palmer

WE have our own “Hollywood” style sign and a distinctive glass bell tower. Now Basildon is to get its own flag.

Plans are afoot to give the borough its own “flag of culture” – and residents with an artistic flair are being invited to design it.

Art and community leaders have united to commission the flag as a tribute to the culture, history and artistic talent of the borough.

Once made, the flag will be flown from the Eastgate Shopping Centre roof and draped inside the mall. It could also be flown on other town buildings if permission is granted.

The flag of culture project has been conceived by Eastgate Shopping Centre together with the Basildon Town Centre Management Company and Foundation of Essex Arts.

Hans Wusterfeld, general manager of the company, said: “We are seeking a design for the flag that embodies the spirit of art in Basildon and are inviting artists across the region to submit their designs.

“From these, a shortlist of six will be made, and then the people of Basildon will be invited to vote at Eastgate for their choice of design.”

Not only will the flag become the symbol of the borough, the emblem will also be used as an award for borough businesses or individuals who have made an outstanding contribution towards the arts.

Vin Harrop, who helped set up Basildon’s own art gallery at the Eastgate Centre and is chairman of Essex Arts, said: “As everyone knows, Basildon gets its fair share of criticism in the national media for being a town with Stalinist architecture and concrete!

“Yet we all know it’s not like this at all.

“Hopefully this flag will be something that will help change how we are viewed by the rest of the world.”

Although it is hoped it will become a common sight across the borough, unless changes in the law are made it is unlikely the flag will be flown from the Civic Offices in Basildon.

Currently only flags such as the Union, EU or patron saint flag can be hoisted up outside official and town hall buildings.