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UK: Sculpture Honoring Mining Heritage to be Unveiled

 


June 13, 2026 - A sculpture honoring a region's mining heritage is to be unveiled to the public at an event which celebrates its history.


It features the figure of a miner symbolizing those who worked in the industry across the north-east of England, surrounded by pit buildings and will be on display at the Northumberland Miner's Picnic at Woodhorn Museum in Ashington on Saturday.

 

Northumbria University A model sculpture made of yellow wood depicts a miner rising out of some colliery buildings. He is wearing a miner's hat and lamp. Northumbria University

 

Funding is being sought to turn the model sculpture into a full version standing more than 12 metres high


It has been created by artist John O'Rourke who has worked with students from Northumbria University on a "maquette" or model of the sculpture.


The proposed full version would be made from Corten steel, the same material as the Angel of the North, and would stand at 12.3 metres (40 ft) tall.


Student Ali Alamin translated O'Rourke's technical drawings into components, before laser cutting and hand-finishing them for assembly.


"Being involved in a project of this scale, one that speaks to the history and culture of the region, gives you an enormous sense of pride," the 22-year-old said.


 



Fellow graduate, Christos Katsidis, who now works for Morfabrication in Washington, said the project had helped him "massively" in his current job as a design engineer.

 

 

 

 

 

Northumbria University John O'Rourke is a man in his 50s with a grey beard and wearing glasses. He has brown hair and a blue top and the shot is of his head and shoulders Northumbria University
Artist John O'Rourke worked to create a model of the sculpture with students from Northumbria University

 

 


"It allowed me to build real experience with the main software used at my current workplace, and that familiarity came in very handy during my interview."


Northumbria University Ali Alamin is a young man in his 20s wearing a white shirt and tie and glasses. He has dark hair and a moustache and a small beard.Northumbria University

 

 

Ali Alamin translated O'Rourke's technical drawings into components, before laser cutting and hand-finishing them for assembly

 

 

 

O'Rourke said the sculpture is about the people of the region "their labour, their transition into a new future".


"I'm enormously grateful to the students who brought my drawings to life," he said.


The Northumberland Miners Picnic was first held in 1864 at Blyth Links but following the closure of the region's coal mines was relocated in 1992 to Ashington where it evolved from a trade union rally into a celebration of North East mining heritage.


The proposed full sculpture is estimated to cost about £3m, with funding now being sought.