Portsmouth Music Hub launches The Pompey Sculptural Trail

Portsmouth Music Hub wants more people to learn about the city’s works of art.

The launch, outside the Hotwalls Studio in Old Portsmouth, welcomed a group of children from Westover Primary School and Kings Academy College Park.

The students sang songs composed by the hub about the sculptures.

The initiative has been part-funded by Portsmouth Cultural Education Partnership and Artswork.

Sue Beckett, chief executive of Portsmouth Music Hub, said: ‘Working with the Cultural Education Partnership is an excellent way of enabling cultural organisations to highlight what’s great about our city. The children have loved learning the songs and this initiative provides resources and songs so that everyone can have fun exploring and learning.

The Pompey Sculpture Trail takes people on a musical cultural journey across the city, with 14 sculptures to be seen, and it is packed with songs, facts, films and activities.

The online resources are available for schools as well as families.

Councillor Suzy Horton, cabinet member for children, families and education said: ‘The creative arts are a fantastic means of enabling children and young people to learn about our city’s cultural landmarks. The Pompey Sculpture Trail is a great initiative for children and their families to explore the city, learning on the move.’

There are 11 original songs, composed by Portsmouth Music Hub’s composition team.

Sue added: ‘The idea is just about using music and the arts to discover more about the city’s culture.’

The children had the opportunity to work towards the Discovery Arts Award, which is nationally recognised.

Hannah Harman, music co-ordinator for Westover Primary School, said: ‘They loved it. These children have not done any performances before because they are Covid children.

‘They loved learning about the sculptures and a lot of the parents have said that they did not even know all the sculptures were here.’

The event saw a huge turnout of parents, as well as guests including Lord Mayor Hugh Mason and Lady Mayoress Marie Costa.

The Hub has also provided a video of the trail produced by Nook, the Portsmouth Music Hub Husky, who completed the two-and-a-half hour trail whilst wearing a Go-pro camera.