Towns and cities in the North Sea Region are one of its unique and often unrecognised assets, due to their historic non uniform structures and spaces. They are at the core of social and employment activity. If we are to maximise these advantages when the current recession ends and attract new business, commuters, and residents to re-locate, we need to be promoting our cities and urban areas as vibrant environments, “the creative city” The development of attractive built environments with easy access green routes into the hinterland

This will include creating exciting street landscapes that feel owned and are well used by local communities, workers and visitors alike - spaces that feel safe but also offer opportunities for mixed use, work on a human scale and on human emotions, create possibilities for movement as well as resting, socialising, playing and for cultural interactions. Public art can be performance, event or installation based or permanent design features such as paving, furniture, lighting or sculpture

• To identify the role of design and artistic intervention in the creation of successful open spaces
• To review locations where these issues are tackled effectively
• To review differences and similarities between partner countries
• To identify strategies for contributions for public arts
• To develop public realm strategies ( across the partnership
• To develop links with the creative communities
• Overt and covert use of arts to create a talking point
• To promote public art by involving partners to create performances in each others locations

• The identification of why people use specific spaces and how artistic interventions (permanent and temporary) can influence this behaviour
• An analysis of successful design and the role that artists and artistic skill can play
• Identify and promote community involvement in the use of space and a sense of public ownership of the public realm
• Within the project area to embed policy for public art and public open space within planning, to develop confidence at political and officer levels, and to set out a regional exemplar
• An understanding of how far authorities need to lead a community before it is ready to leas itself

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A broad range from novice through transitional to experienced participants who share a vision of ensuring that the urban areas of the North Sea Region continue to offer an all encompassing vibrancy that compliments the changing rhythms of the urban day.