This year is a significant point in the story of Crawley. Today’s vibrant, diverse town is 60 years old, a marked contrast to the small settlement of the 1940s. The success of Crawley, that is set to continue into the future, is due to the people who live, work and play in the town.
It is a perfect time to make a monument for the future that honours the Crawley of today, and its people. Prior to the Royal visit in November a project was begun that aims to do just that by creating a new town feature that bears the marks of the people of Crawley. To discover more about any aspect of the project follow the links below.

Overview of the project
The Monument: - The Royal Visit: - The Location:
The People Represented: - The Artists: - How to get involved:
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Crawley People Represented

Why Autographs?
The purpose of the new monument is to symbolise the town of Crawley as part of the substance of Britain, its individuals and its community. The forms of the boulders themselves represent the community and the place, if you like, the collective identity of Crawley.
In order to find a way of representing the actual individuals of Crawley, we considered the people that make up the town and looked for some commonality that everyone has, but is unique to each individual, something that epitomises each persons individuality.

One choice would have been to use photographs, images of people; for many reasons this was far too complicated both to gather and to use within the design. Photographs are also in a way, about being seen from outside, captured by others; photographs are 'taken' - for this monument it is more appropriate that something be 'given'. A token that comes from the person themselves has a very different meaning.

An autograph is a simpler personal mark, we have each developed one that comes from our own understanding of ourselves, we are known by it, relatives and loved ones recognise it.
As a signature it is evidence of the actual presence of a person, touching the paper at a moment in time. From an artistic point of view the autograph is also a mark, a design, a unique pattern, if you like, a drawn symbol of someones own sense of self.

Autographs provided the answer, the ideal starting point for developing a decorative design for the boulders of the new monument.

In gathering autographs, how can we best represent all the people of Crawley?

The ideal would perhaps be to gather autographs from everyone in the town. This is clearly an impossible task, the population in 2001 stood at 100,000 people. If we were to miss a single person it could be seen as unfair, and in terms of the project, a failure.

In addition the population figure only includes residents, it does not take into account the important contribution of those who work and visit the town on a regular basis, or those who have worked on behalf of the town, surely an attempt to represent Crawley should not exclude them.

The answer is to see the collected signatures as a symbolic snapshot of the people of Crawley in the year 2007. To seek autographs from all walks of life and to refuse none. Everybody that wishes their autograph to be used toward the monument will be included, provided that they give one.

To actually make contact with a fair, reasonable and representative cross-section of the people that can honestly be said to represent Crawley is still a tricky proposition. We aim to be as inventive as possible in reaching people, to begin with we will seek help from the usual media sources such as the local papers, and we will work with Crawley Borough Council to reach schools, organisations and societies that they are aware of. We will approach employers, shops and individuals, encouraging everyone to spread the word.

We will establish collection points so that people can submit their autographs in shops and council premises – keep an eye on this site for a collection point near you.

Considering fears regarding identity theft that many may have about contributing their autograph. We make all assurances that any autograph that is submitted will never be stored with any personal details that could be used to identify you. In fact we strongly recommend that all autographs are contributed anonymously, without an attached name or address on small pieces of paper. A signature alone is of very little use for those who might attempt abuse.
Autographs progress so far
So far, apart from the signature of The Queen and Prince Phillip, we have collected initial autographs from people that use Queens Square regularly. We are currently in the process of setting up methods of collecting autographs from as wide a selection of the people of Crawley as possible.

Drop point locations
A separate entry in this website will list all available points for collection of autographs
- click here to see this entry

Participants
A separate entry in this website will list major organisations and businesses that have agreed to participate - click here to see this entry

How to get involved
click here to see this entry

Subjects