New arts trail launched to celebrate Milton Keynes - and free tours are on offer

An arts and heritage trail championing Milton Keynes’ design history has arrived in the city centre – and free tours are being offered to anyone who is interested.

MK is known as a model ‘new planned city’ around the world and Look Again tells the story of the new city’s people and places and highlights its standout modern heritage, art, architecture, and design.

The 24-stop free trail runs from Fred Roche Gardens to Lloyds Court and includes artworks in and around centre:mk.

People can scan a QR code on any of the trail signs and it takes them to a special website here, where they can learn more about that specific piece of art, building or green space.

Free tours of the trail are being offered to local people who want fresh insights into where they live and work. Milton Keynes Forum (the city’s civic society) is running two walks in May led by experienced guides with a deep knowledge of the city centre:

The first tour is on Saturday May 18 at 2pm and is called ‘God is in the Detail’. It looks at the architectural detailing and structure underpinning the design of Central Milton Keynes and is led by Tim Skelton. People can meet at the Black Horse statue outside Lloyd’s Court in Silbury Boulevard.

The second tour is on Saturday May 25 at 11am. Called ‘A Whisper, a Myth, and a Mighty Blow’, it involves a walk around public art with a sideways look at some of the urban myths that have arisen over the years. People can meet outside the Library on Silbury Boulevard.

These sessions are free, but spaces should be booked in advance h ere . For further details email Milton Keynes Forum here.

A photo competition is running online here until June 8. Photos of people enjoying the trail, or of the art, architecture or spaces featured in it can be uploaded to the Destination Milton Keynes site for the chance to win two tickets donated by MK Gallery to their current exhibition ‘Saul Leiter: An Unfinished World’.

The trail has been developed by Milton Keynes City Council using funding from developers, working with the City Discovery Centre and Living Archive.