Communities across Bassetlaw urged to create prize-winning Tour of Britain land art

The world-famous cycle race returns to Robin Hood County for a fourth time since 2017 when it hosts the 170-kilometre fourth stage from Edwinstowe to Newark on Wednesday, September 6.

A popular and long-standing tradition of the race is the national land art competition, which encourages community groups, schools, businesses, and landowners along the route to showcase their creative talents.

Nottinghamshire is no stranger to the competition, with Keyworth scooping the top award last year for its Hedgehog Highway design.

The ‘Spike on a Bike’ land art was created on the Rectory Field and was inspired by the community’s drive to encourage more people to help vulnerable hedgehogs move safely from garden to garden in the area.

Now with the eyes of the world set to be on Nottinghamshire once more, and Worksop and Bassetlaw set to feature more heavily in this year’s stage, when the Tour returns next month, creative residents are being encouraged to take part in this year’s competition.

Entries for the 2023 land art competition can be made online at tourofbritain.co.uk/community/land-art – the closing date for submissions is Friday, August 18.

Councillor John Cottee, Nottinghamshire Council cabinet member for communities, said: “The competition is a great way for our communities to show their support for the competitors and their teams as the Tour passes through Nottinghamshire for a fourth time in seven years.

“It’s an event which will be watched by millions of television viewers in addition to the 200,000-plus people expected to line the route from Sherwood Forest to Newark, so the competition provides a great opportunity for people to create some truly eye-catching land art.

“I’m confident our communities will once again rise to the challenge and follow in their footsteps.”

Mick Bennett, race director, said: “Since we launched the national land art competition, we have been blown away by the standard of creations that have lined the route. Best of luck to everybody in Nottinghamshire entering the competition.”

The 19th edition of the UK’s most prestigious cycle race begins in Greater Manchester on Sunday, September 3, and finishes in South Wales a week later.