BRIDGWATER’S historic docks will be the first place in the UK to host a major new art installation before its £5.2m regeneration gets under way.

Bridgwater Town Council has announced that Luke Jerram’s latest creation, ‘The Fallen Moon’, will be installed at the docks off Northgate between October 14 and November 3.

The installation will be illuminated on the water every evening between 5:30pm and 8:30pm throughout its time in Bridgwater, with music being provided by BAFTA award-winning composer Dan Jones.

The town council is organising a number of events to make the artwork’s time in Bridgwater, including an opening ceremony with live music and a night-time market.

The Fallen Moon is the first of Mr Jerram’s artworks to be hosted by Bridgwater, following Taunton’s hosting of ‘Museum of the Moon’ in March 2022 and ‘Gaia’ in April 2023.

The artwork, a ten-metre diameter replica of the Moon, is 350,000 times smaller than the real Moon and features an internally lit surface, where each centimetre (created using NASA data) represents 3.5km of the Moon’s surface.

The artwork will be welcomed to the town on Monday, October 14, with Mr Jerram hosting a Q&A event at Bridgwater Arts Centre on Castle Street at 1pm.

The installation will be formally opened in a ceremony at the docks the same day at 6pm, with live music being provided from local band Tongues of Fire.

In addition to the nightly illumination of the artwork, a night-time market will be held on Thursday, October 17 from 5pm to 9pm.

The town hall (which is also being regenerated under the Bridgwater town deal) will host planetarium shows on Sunday, October 20.

Finally, the artwork will be turned into the illuminated ‘Carnival Moon’ on November 1 and 2 to mark the annual Bridgwater Carnival.

Once the artwork has ended its time in Bridgwater, Somerset Council is expected to move forward with its regeneration of the docks, with £5.2m being allocated within the Bridgwater town deal (including £1m for walking and cycling improvements).

A town deal spokesman said: “Residents and visitors alike will benefit from the improved facilities and increased capacity for leisure amenities and activities.

“These could include enjoying charming waterfront cafés or participating in pursuits such as paddle-boarding and canoeing, as well as benefiting from community spaces that inspire connection.

“A new shared bridge over the canal will provide easy access to the town centre and the adjacent Northgate Yard.

“This will lead to employment growth and easier access to job opportunities for locals, helping to alleviate the economic pressure of the past few years.

“The aspiration is that all members of the community will have an opportunity to thrive thanks to the area’s improved investment and growth potential.”

To book tickets for Mr Jerram’s Q&A event, visit www.bridgwaterartscentre.co.uk.

For further information on all the Bridgwater Town Deal projects, visit www.bridgwatertowndeal.co.uk/projects.