About
The Shelley Memorial Project is a volunteer-led organisation that celebrates the life and work of the Romantic and radical poet Percy Bysshe Shelley and his connection with Horsham the town most associated with his birthplace.
We celebrate poetry and the arts through our events, talks and our social media platforms. We focus on accessible community projects involving reading, writing and performing poetry; inspired by our great local poet.
A key objective is to commission a public artwork which combines poetry and sculpture in a celebration of Shelley's work. Engagement with this combination of artistic forms is intended to be a source of enjoyment and inspiration for our community. The artwork will also provide a focus for our community's pride in Horsham's connection with one of England's greatest poets, Percy Bysshe Shelley, described as the most eminent man to whom Horsham can lay claim.
There are few visible references in our town to Horsham's important cultural heritage or the community's broad interest in the arts. Recent neighbourhood plan consultations identify strong community interest in having public art in prominent, accessible locations, to resolve this. The interest is also evidenced in our own community engagement work. Over 1600 members of the public engaged with our selection process for a public artwork design. They considered what kind of sculptural form would best convey a celebration of Shelley's poetry in a public space. The outcome is the creative and cultural idea behind our project. We aim to deliver an original artwork which, through the involvement of the community in its realisation, is as accessible in its location, subject and meaning as possible.
We are committed to engaging our community in the commissioning and realisation of the design through workshops and further consultation. In this way, we aim to foster an understanding of and involvement in the creative process for the artwork, and an understanding of how sculpture can represent Shelley's poetry. We want this involvement to generate a genuine sense of ownership in the outcome of the process. Engagement with delivery of this new artwork, both in the course of the project and after its completion, will provide direct contact with poetry and sculpture and will provide educational as well as well-being benefits; highlighting the relevance of the arts in contemporary life. In particular, we aim to encourage engagement with the project and poetry and the arts in young people, taking inspiration from the work of a remarkable, young literary figure, whose poetry speaks down the centuries about issues that are relevant to our community today.
We will work with the Horsham Arts Society, arts enthusiasts, our schools, Horsham's District and Town Councils as well as the Friends of Horsham Park and our selected sculptor, to address the call for a public artwork to celebrate poetry and Horsham's cultural heritage. This will also act as sign post to other forms of engagement with the arts in our community, including our poetry and music events, with the aim of increasing engagement with the well-being benefits that the arts can deliver.
We are working in partnership with Horsham District Council to deliver the artwork within a prominent location close to the town centre within the much loved Horsham Park.
To find out more about our Project and in particular how you can be part of this exciting journey email shelleymemorialproject@btinternet.com
David Hide – SMP Chair
Potential site of the memorial in Horsham Park
The project raised enough funds in 2022, the 200 year anniversary of the poet’s death, to enable us to launch the commission for the artwork. In May 2024, following a public vote, sculptor Vincent Gray was selected for the Shelley Memorial commission. Over 1700 members of the public took part in the public consultation, which included a vote on the four shortlisted concept designs. In a close competition between the four designs, Vincent Gray obtained the highest vote from the public. Having reviewed the outcome of the public consultation and the views of key stakeholders, the selection panel agreed that the Gray concept design best reflected the overall aims and criteria of The Shelley Memorial Project.
Our fundraising continues and we hope to achieve a successful outcome that will enable us to complete the project in 2027/8.
Our website is sponsored by Radical Tea Towel.
Proud sponsors of Shelley Memorial Project
Find out more about the artist’s brief.
Read about the shortlisted artists.
Learn about our sponsor.
Join the list of project supporters.
Read our constitution.
See our list of elected officers.
Meet the team.
See our safeguarding policy.
The Shelley Memorial Project has been established by individuals and community groups from Horsham with an
interest in Percy Bysshe Shelly, a towering cultural figure and our local poet.
All individuals and representatives of the groups involved give up their time voluntarily to achieve the aim of delivering a permanent, public memorial to Shelley. We believe that this will be the only public memorial to Shelley in the country.
We would very much welcome support for our project from those who share our vision of establishing a permanent, public memorial to celebrate the work and life of Percy Bysshe Shelley. We believe that it is appropriate that the memorial should be in Horsham, the town closest to his birth place, family home and the area in which he grew up.
1. Add your name to the supporters list on our website.
We are building a list of names and expressions of support from those who appreciate the work of Percy Bysshe Shelley and support the aims of our project. We are very pleased to have received, as one of the very first contributions to that list, a message from the poet, Michael Rosen.
If you would like to add your name or your name and a message, please contact us and we will include this on our site. This list will help us to demonstrate the enduring appreciation of Shelley’s work and the importance of establishing a memorial.
2. Support our fund-raising campaign by making a donation to help us meet the cost of the memorial.
We have set ourselves a target of raising £85,000 from public donations, fund-raisingevents and grant applications.
This sum will enable us to commission a suitable artwork, to be installed on a public site, to commemorate Shelley. All funds raised will be allocated to the achievement of an appropriate memorial which will be gifted to the Horsham community.
Donations can be made via our website or by using the contact details below to enquire about other means of donation.
3.Join the project group and providing ideas and practical support to help us achieve our aims.
The Shelley Memorial Project is run entirely by a small group of enthusiastic volunteers. There is a lot to do to achieve our objective so we are always keen to hear for anyone who would like to contribute their skills and enthusiasm to help us.
We are very excited to announce that we have secured an 'in principal' agreement with Horsham District Council to locate a permanent and lasting memorial to Shelley, within the boundaries of Horsham Park at our preferred location of the central crossroads within the park in front of the pond.
Further discussions are now taking place with the council around the project brief, ahead of launching an open competition to attract some of the country's leading sculptors to interpret our brief.