Remembering Together Glasgow is coming to a close
The Remembering Together project in Glasgow focuses on co-creating memorials within the city’s parks to honour those impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Utilising a co-creation model, the project engaged the personal experiences and stories of local communities to shape the memorial’s design and significance. The resulting modular block sculptures reflect these diverse experiences and are designed to be both accessible and visually engaging.
The location in Queens Park was selected after a thorough review, owing to its accessibility, visibility, and alignment with the community’s needs and was chosen to resonate with the park's role as a communal space during the pandemic, used for reflection, connection, and solace. Queens Park will serve as a central gathering point for the memorial, which is designed as a lasting space for reflection, honouring the memories of those lost to COVID-19 while embedding community input into its form and placement.
In a series of reflective workshops, community members contributed stories, artistic expressions, and design feedback, fostering a shared vision for the memorial. Phase 2 workshops continued the insights gathered in Phase 1, where lead artist Audrey O’Brien’s community research provided foundational themes of resilience and remembrance. These sessions were held across Glasgow, engaging various local groups and supporting partners, with their insights informing everything from structural design to aesthetic choices.
Rags to Riches, Govanhill Baths’ Creative Reuse hub, will contribute seating and signage crafted from creatively reused materials.
Artists and Contractors Involved
Phase 2 of the Remembering Together project has been managed by Govanhill Baths Community Trust, with the commissioned artists littlewhitehead—a Glasgow-based artistic duo consisting of Craig Little and Blake Whitehead—leading the design and creation of the memorial sculptures. Their work, from conceptual development to materials selection and fabrication, has been supported by Applied Engineering Design, providing the necessary engineering and technical guidance.
While the design concept reflects insights gained during community workshops and discussions, it does not incorporate the symbolic colour scheme from Phase 1. Instead, littlewhitehead worked closely with community groups and stakeholders to ensure the structure represented shared experiences and was aligned with the project’s themes of resilience and reflection.
Key Project Partners
Govanhill Baths Community Trust: Project management and community engagement lead, coordinating the initiative locally.
Glasgow City Council: Provided essential permissions and logistical support.
Friends of Queen’s Park: Collaborated on site preservation, green space advocacy, and long-term maintenance plans. Friends of Queen’s Park are also actively revitalising the adjacent Scottish Poetry Rose Garden, aiming to create a vibrant, multi-seasonal environment around the memorial. This includes plans for community events, poetry performances, and seasonal plantings to engage park visitors.
Glasgow Disability Alliance (GDA): Conducted accessibility reviews and provided recommendations for making the memorial site inclusive for all.
Local Community Groups (Phase 1 participants): Including North Glasgow Integration Network Women's Group, Barmulloch Community Development Company, Early Years Scotland, Milk Café, and others, whose contributions helped shape the memorial’s design and textures.
Woodcraft Children's Group: Facilitated youth engagement and educational involvement.