It isn’t every day that a singing, dancing, clapping sculptor and artist exhorts people to win a truly unique prize –but that is exactly what is on offer to the young people of Irvine Bay.

Artist and Sculptor Peter McCaughey – commissioned to create a new giant artwork for the ongoing regeneration of Irvine town centre – is heading up a competition to offer local schools and youth groups … a bandstand! Find out more about the Re-thinking bandstand competition here.

Local young people are being urged to tap into their own creativity to think of a new location and potential new uses for the bandstand.

And Peter, an energetic creative type himself, has turned whirlwind presenter in an entertaining and fun podcast that provides food for thought for those interested in winning this one-off prize, along with all of the details they need to enter.


The bandstand needs to be relocated to accommodate the exciting transformation of Irvine town centre being carried out by Irvine Bay Regeneration Company and North Ayrshire Council.

Rather than lose the iconic structure, Irvine Bay schools and youth clubs are being invited to put forward their ideas for its relocation and future use – and they are being asked to be as creative as possible. A two-minute video or a 500 word written submission is all that is needed to enter, with the best handful of entries being invited to make a more detailed pitch. The podcast itself is the brief, so if you are interested in taking part, you just need to watch it.

Patrick Wiggins, Chief Executive of Irvine Bay, said: “We want Irvine Bay’s young people to come up with a future site and use for the bandstand. We are asking them to get their creative thinking caps on, but we also want them to put forward a solid business case describing how they will use the bandstand and how it will be looked after.”

To win, entrants will have to answer a set of questions and tackle some big issues, including an explanation of where it would be sited, how and who it would be used by, what benefits it would bring, what other organisations would benefit, how it would be maintained and what funds would be accessed to develop it.

In the podcast, sculptor Peter gives some hints as to potential uses: “It could be somewhere for you to think, to study, to stage performances, chair debates or simply chill out.”

(GK)