Lead artists Alfredo Jaar (NY, USA) and Charles Quick (Preston/Leeds, UK) have been appointed to work with Preston City Council, the developers, Grosvenor Ltd. and other stakeholders in the Tithebarn masterplanning process. The lead artists will contribute to the development and advocate further roles for artists throughout the duration of the Tithebarn redevelopment.

As a result of this initiative, artists will have a profound influence, informing master-planning decisions, contributing to the identity of the scheme and making interventions into the design, architectural and consultation process.

In March 2007 the Lead Artist partnership of Alfredo Jaar and Charles Quick made a joint public presentation to a large audience in Preston including officers and councillors from PCC as well as observers from other regeneration projects and cities. They proposed a new model of practice, ‘where art and culture are at the centre of the creative design process which regenerates a city.' Through being engaged at this early stage, both artists will be able to use their creative talents in partnership with the design team to create aunique identity for Preston; a city that has the potential to become a new model for the 21st Century.

This provides the opportunity for Preston to position itself as a leader in implementing a simultaneous program of urbanism, architecture, and art in perfect synchronicity.

A living city is one that creates, and Preston will create through a program of continuous public commissions curated by the Lead Artists in conjunction with a series of permanent works perfectly embedded within the new architecture of the city. The cultural identity of Preston will become the motor of its growth, enhanced and supported by new commercial entities included in the Master Plan, notably the anchor stores.This cultural identity will create a climate of imagination and creativity that will reflect on every activity taking place in the new Preston.