The Open Space project celebrated the people of Essex through the eyes of five artists who found very different ways of engaging with the community and, in the process, created thought provoking and intriguing works of art. Matt Cook, Gordon Flemons, Miranda Sharp, Damien Robinson and Stuart Bowditch are all artists with a strong connection to Essex.
They were commissioned in the summer of 2008 to research, develop and produce a series of temporary artworks in Harlow, Basildon and Colchester over the following year. The programme was devised by Commissions East in collaboration with Essex County Council and the four projects were curated and coordinated by Jane Watt.