Public art is a powerful addition to cities, communities, and neighborhoods by imbuing uniqueness, and sometimes meaning, to those spaces.  Just seeing such displays can be a communal activity by inspiring thought and conversation;  needless to say, National Purebred Dog Day especially likes public art of our various purebred dogs.

A trio of life-sized Greyhounds sculptures created by Newcastle artist, Irene Brown, was unveiled in 1995 in Stockton, UK, but not everyone was delighted at the time. Though the piece called “Racing Ahead” had been commissioned by the Stockton Borough Council,  one of its leading councillors at the time argued that the painted cast iron pieces symbolized a stereotype of the North-East, adding that the plan was “barking mad.”

The pieces were placed in storage when refurbishment of Stockton High Street began in 2013, but the popular pieces were missed by the public that sent repeated emails and phone calls asking when the Greyhounds would be returned. They were, after all, a reckoning of the past when Stockton used to have a famous dog racing track, and that at one time, Greyhounds may even have been raced on High Street.

In response, one Stockton council Cabinet member for Arts, Leisure and Culture said the Greyhounds wouldn’t be returned as they, “no longer fit” and that they could be dangerous for blind and disabled people. She did add, however, that they, “represented a beautiful piece of artwork” and that the council was figuring out what to do with them.

Fast forward to 2016. A public consultation was held to ask residents where they thought the ‘Racing Ahead’ Greyhounds should go, and a majority of residents said they wanted the dogs back in Stockton Town Centre. The dogs won! They are now back in Stockton Town Centre beside the children’s library where people of all ages can enjoy them.