MK City Council unveil first part of Alan Turing artwork in Bletchley

Milton Keynes City Council have unveiled the first phase of an artwork in Bletchley celebrating Alan Turing.

The first phase of the Hello Bletchley project is now underway, marking an important milestone in the creation of a landmark sculpture for Bletchley town centre.

When finished, the artwork will aim to celebrate Alan Turing’s life, his extraordinary legacy and his deep connection to Bletchley, where his codebreaking work at Bletchley Park played a vital role during the Second World War and helped lay the foundations for modern computing and artificial intelligence. Created by award-winning artist Nick Ryan, the sculpture is being developed through a co-creation process that places residents at its heart.

MK City Council said that local people are playing an active role in shaping the project through workshops and public sessions, sharing stories, memories and reflections on Alan Turing and Bletchley. These contributions are informing the evolving structure of the artwork, ensuring the final sculpture reflects the identity and lived experience of the community.

During community workshops, people have been invited to share personal reflections, hopes for the future and memories of Bletchley.

MK City Council said that a specially designed AI-assisted recorder captures these conversations and transforms them into unique digital forms known as citizen strata. Shaped by the sentiment and content of each contribution, alongside live contextual data such as weather and transport patterns, these strata will form the building blocks of the final sculpture. From particular viewpoints, the geometry will subtly reveal the figure of Alan Turing.

A project website, www.hellobletchley.com, provides background information about the process and ways for residents to stay involved as the artwork develops.

The statement on the project said that it is to be completed at the end of 2026. Once complete, MK City Council said that, “the sculpture will stand within a newly landscaped public space designed for gathering and contemplation. In its first year, the artwork will include a mixed-reality dimension — a temporary digital ‘4D’ layer that extends beyond the physical structure. Visitors will be able to unlock digital patterns connected to the sculpture, exploring the stories, voices and data that helped shape its form. Those who took part in workshops will be able to trace how their own contribution informed the evolving structure.”

Commissioned as part of the wider Town Deal regeneration programme, the Alan Turing commemorative artwork is a celebration of innovation, community and Bletchley’s unique history. This phase marks a significant step in the project’s journey as it continues to grow through local participation.

Cabinet Member for Planning and Placemaking, Cllr Shanika Mahendran, said, “This commission celebrates Alan Turing’s legacy which is woven into the very fabric of Bletchley and Milton Keynes. His groundbreaking work at Bletchley Park didn’t just help change the course of history but it laid the foundations for modern computing and artificial intelligence and this sculpture will honour his pioneering spirit.”

Artist Nick Ryan, added, “This commission asks the town to help shape something completely new. We’re inviting residents to become co-authors of the sculpture. Their voices, experiences and the daily rhythms of the place will literally form its structure, honouring a brilliant mind that shaped so much of how the world operates today.”

Community workshops exploring personal histories, data, machine learning and material expression will continue in the coming months, with free sessions for schools, local groups and the wider public.