The Marlborough International Jazz Festival (MIJF), which ran each year from 1986 to 2016, is to be commemorated by a piece of public art to be displayed in the Priory Gardens.
The MIJF, though no longer in operation, remains a significant part of the town’s cultural history. The Marlborough Arts Association (MAA), the operating charity for the MIJF, wanted to commemorate the festival in some way. It has generously offered to present Marlborough with a high quality piece of public art to commemorate the festival.
The MAA is hoping to commission Lisi Ashbridge, a local artist, who is an elected member of the Master Carvers Association, to produce the column commemorating the festival years and those associated with it. The Priory Gardens is considered to be the most appropriate site for the commemorative column as many world renowned musicians performed there as part of the Jazz Festivals.
Marlborough Town Council welcomed the proposal at their meeting on Monday December 14. There are no other public works of art in the town and thus it would be seen as ‘a welcome addition’.
Examples of Lisi Ashbridge’s work can be seen at: www.itswritteninstone.co.uk
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