Dingwall Mercat Cross competition one-day exhibition, 15 June

For one day only, there will be a public exhibition of designs for a new imaginary 21st century Mercat Cross for Dingwall High Street this Saturday in Dingwall Town House between 10am and 5pm. 

The exhibition of sculptures and artwork marks the finale of a competition that has seen 250 S3 pupils from Dingwall Academy produce designs for a 21st century Mercat Cross. They have been asked to envisage the cross as a meeting place for Dingwall's young people incorporating a plinth constructed from local stone.

As part of the project, pupils have attended a stone carving and masonry workshop run by Historic Scotland in May and have been learning about the town’s historic built environment.

The project has been developed by Dingwall Academy Art and Design Department in collaboration with the Dingwall Conservation Area Regeneration Scheme (CARS). CARS is a heritage-led regeneration project promoting awareness-raising and investment in the historic environment.

The winners of the competition will be unveiled at a special preview event this Friday, before the exhibition opens to the public on Saturday. The competition has been judged by David Ewan, a retired Art Teacher from Inverness Royal Academy; Lachie Stewart, an Architect from ANTA Design; and Simon Montgomery, the Senior Heritage Management Officer of Historic Scotland.

The Dingwall CARS project runs until 2016 with funding from Historic Scotland, the Highland LEADER 2007-2013 Programme, and the Highland Council.