Chelmsford 100 – Walking

Chelmsford 100 is a truly mobile art installation. It is not meant to be static, stagnant, or packaged away.

Over the summer and autumn of 2022, the flags were carried by volunteers over 100 miles of newly-mapped walking routes which criss-crossed the entire Chelmsford district. They took in towns, villages, green spaces, waterways, and landmarks with each walk highlighting a specific flag and story.

The purpose of the walks was to reveal and publicise accessible routes, encourage people to get moving, raise awareness of the importance of caring for our green spaces, and most of all, to get people talking.

More stories surfaced as we walked and talked, and more people joined us on walks as we went. It was fascinating, and often emotional, to be able to hold up a flag at the site that inspired it and hear its story firsthand from its artist.

Alongside the 100 miles were a series of installations, where all 100 flags were planted in the ground and left to flutter in the breeze so that people could wander through them and admire the collection in full. Such installations were held at Hylands House, RHS Hyde Hall, Chelmsford Museum, The Wilderness Foundation, and Writtle University College.

The walks, installations, and events will continue to grow and expand, ensuring that Chelmsford 100 becomes a kinetic part of Chelmsford’s cultural heritage, and firmly embedded in our beautiful local landscapes.