Bread and Circuses

This paper was written as an academic provocation for the 'Reflections on The Ring' symposium, and in response to 'The Ring' project - "a new arts programme celebrating a 21-mile circle of natural and historic waterways. Linking the Worcester and Birmingham Canal, the Droitwich Canals and the River Severn, the route flows through the urban and rural landscapes of Worcester and Droitwich. Navigable by boat or on foot, the Mid-Worcestershire Ring is a unique tourist destination. Our programme will uncover unusual and memorable stories of people, places and the natural environment. Local artists will produce ambitious and dynamic artworks and live events for all to enjoy.a series of temporary public artworks commissioned around the canals." It considers the nature of art in the public realm, in particular relation to the audience, and making reference to Alfred Gell's 1998 "Art and Agency: An Anthropological Theory".