A Tenth Anniversary Commission was established by The Milton Keynes Rose Trust, supported by The Parks Trust and made possible by grant funding from Milton Keynes City Council. Artist and Producer Jakub Rokita was commissioned to revisit and celebrate the iconic Milton Keynes work of Public Art designed by Gordon Young (2011), to create a central gathering space for Milton Keynes. Jakub’s task was to reflect the journey of the Milton Keynes Rose from concept to its use today.
From June 2024 to June 2025, Jakub undertook a multi-strand project exploring how the Rose has been used, remembered and reinterpreted over time. The resulting works now form a collective portrait of the Rose as a living monument – one shaped not only by design and stone, but by the people who gather around it.
Continue reading “MK Rose 10th Anniversary – The Art Commission”Original Publication by Gordon Young (edited 2024):
This publication captures artist Gordon Young’s early concepts and inspirations for the Milton Keynes Rose. It includes his research into sacred geometry, public memory, and the symbolic power of space—all of which shaped the final design. Presented here in an adapted format for online viewing, this version has been updated to reflect available archival materials as a part of the 10 Anniversary Art Commission, edited by the lead artist, Jakub Rokita.
Continue reading to see the PDF of Gordon Young’s original design publication (edited for publication 2024) or to download.
Continue reading “MK Rose 10th Anniversary – Concept Design Publication”10th Anniversary Publication
Created a decade after the unveiling of the Milton Keynes Rose, this anniversary publication is one of several outcomes of a year-long research and creative commission led by artist and producer Jakub Rokita. The project set out not only to mark ten years of the Rose’s public life but to explore, document, and celebrate the ways this unique civic space has evolved through community use, memory, and imagination.
The 10th Anniversary brochure compliments Gordon Young’s original design brochure and is a poetic and visually stunning record of the evolution of the MK Rose within the City of Milton Keynes.
Continue reading to see the PDF of the 10th Anniversary brochure or to download.
Continue reading “MK Rose 10th Anniversary – Commemorative Brochure”Welcome to the Milton Keynes Rose Audiowalk.
This poetic journey through time and memory invites you to explore the Rose not through facts and dates alone, but through the voices of those who helped shape its story. You’ll hear from artists, writers, civic leaders, and local changemakers—people who, over nearly two decades, contributed to the vision, creation, and continued life of this remarkable civic space.
Though the Rose was unveiled in 2013, the idea of a public monument for remembrance and celebration began much earlier. What you hear in this walk is shaped by those long-standing conversations, collaborations, and community hopes.
Continue reading “Milton Keynes Rose 10th anniversary – Audiowalk”Welcome to the Milton Keynes Rose Audiowalk.
Experience the Milton Keynes Rose through sound and story. Below, you will find a read-along version of the audiowalk, combining interviews, writing and research material. Designed for accessibility and deeper engagement, this feature allows you to explore the Rose’s evolving significance – whether you are on site or reading from home.
This is not a tour guide. It is a meditation.
The Milton Keynes Rose Audiowalk blends voices, field recordings, compositions and text to trace a path through nearly two decades of imagination, community organising, design, and civic care.
Walk with it on site. Sit on a bench. Or listen remotely, eyes closed.
Continue reading “MK Rose 10th anniversary – AudioWalk Read-Along Edition”Welcome to the Milton Keynes Rose Audiowalk and video.
The audio walk and video was created by lead artist Jakub Rokita as part of the Milton Keynes Rose 10th Anniversary Art Project. It features his original sound compositions, field recordings, and texts brought to life through the voice of published Milton Keynes author Ralph Keats.
It is a visually stunning work that captures the essence of the MK Rose and its evolution within the community of Milton Keynes.
Originally held as a one-day pop-up at MK Gallery during the 2024 Heritage Open Days, the exhibition celebrating 10 years of the Milton Keynes Rose soon found a longer home. Thanks to the generosity of Milton Keynes Central Library, the banners, photos, and community memories remained on public display from November 2024 through April This extended run highlighted the ongoing impact of the Rose, with additional events including a memory collection day, artist talk, and closing gathering to launch the
publication.
