Tom Hicks, You Are Here

Ikon and Transport for West Midlands (TfWM) present a new public sculpture for Halesowen by Black Country artist Tom Hicks.

You Are Here was co-created by Hicks and members of the local community, and celebrates the local environment, its cultural heritage and identity. The sculpture is located at the Cross Street Local Travel Point in Halesowen, a public green space providing options for active and environmentally friendly local travel.

You Are Here is the first public sculpture for Tom Hicks, creator of the documentary photography project Black Country Type. The sculpture draws inspiration from Hicks’ photograph Lollipop (Oldbury) (2021), mirroring the vibrant blue and pink of the image.

“This commission from Ikon and TfWM has provided me with a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the visual landscape of the Black Country. Working on a public artwork has sparked an exciting new direction for my practice – informed by my photography, I have expanded into three dimensional work and explored materials, construction techniques and paint treatments. It has been manufactured in the region that it celebrates and one of the greatest pleasures has been working directly with factories in the Black Country to fabricate the work – their time, patience and expertise has been invaluable. During our guided photo walks around Halesowen, I was also fortunate to hear local people talk with genuine warmth about the town. My art practice encourages people to observe and appreciate their immediate surroundings and the letters and symbols that appear on the artwork were all found in Halesowen.” Tom Hicks, Artist

Commissioned by Ikon and TfWM as part of the new Cross Street Local Travel Point, the project began with a series of community photo-poetry walks led by Hicks in collaboration with award winning poet Liz Berry. Participants were invited to explore and document their urban surroundings, making connections between image and text.

“The photo-walks with Tom Hicks were very illuminating, as I’m someone who often thought about dabbling into photography and the amount you would have to spend buying all the kit, it was very refreshing to be informed that you can just use your iPhone. Photography is very accesible.” Dean, photo-walk participant 

“TfWM is running the Local Travel Point pilot at three locations to see if bringing together transport services like cycle hire, bike tools, travel information and car sharing can encourage people to be more active and drive less, while creating small hubs for local communities. The pilot is in partnership with Dudley Council. TfWM commissioned this community art project at Cross Street so that the place feels more special and to encourage a sense of ownership over the new facilities. Alongside the mosaics at Perry Barr and University stations and Ozzy the Bull at New Street Station, this is another West Midlands example of public art being used to improve the transport network.” Chris Brown, Senior Future Mobility Developer, Transport for West Midlands

“It’s fantastic to see You Are Here celebrated so warmly: a bold, beautiful artwork created with the community, for the community. This sculpture is more than just a striking addition to our public space; it’s a powerful reminder that creativity thrives in places like Halesowen.

Too often, towns in the Black Country are overlooked by the cultural sector, but this project shows what’s possible when local stories, artistic vision, and public collaboration come together.

I’m incredibly proud to see this kind of work happening in my constituency, and I’m grateful to Tom Hicks, Ikon Gallery, Transport for West Midlands, and all the local residents who helped shape the piece. You Are Here sends a message, especially to young people, that art belongs here, that it’s for everyone, and that our local identity is something worth celebrating.

I hope this is just the beginning of more creative investment and inspiration across Halesowen and the Black Country.” Alex Ballinger, MP for Halesowen