A call is going out to former workers at the world-renowned Royal Worcester porcelain works to attend the unveiling of a major new public art work commemorating the proud heritage that they were part of.

The artwork, created by experienced public artists Musson+Retallick, is inspired by the 275-year history of porcelain manufacturing in the city and will be unveiled at an exclusive event on Thursday 4 June.

Worcester City Council, Museum of Royal Worcester and Royal Porcelain Works are keen that as many former workers as possible come along to see witness this commemoration of the heritage that they are part of.

Former staff at ‘The Porcelain’, as the works were affectionately nicknamed, can book their place at the event by emailing Tiffany@museumofroyalworcester.org or calling 01905 21247.

The new artwork, Marks of the Manufactory, has taken inspiration from conversations and workshops that artist duo Neil Musson and Jono Retallick led with local people.

They collected personal stories and memories, utilising them alongside historic information from archives and objects to produce a work that is specific to the site, and which will be a lasting tribute to one of the most renowned elements of Worcester’s historic story.

Neil Musson and Jono Retallick said: “We are delighted to have worked with Worcester City Council, Museum of Royal Worcester and Royal Porcelain Works to create a series of artworks inspired by the museum’s impressive archive.

“We have turned a design sketch into a sculpture and transfer prints into wall-mounted hallmarks. The artworks evolved through community workshops in which we explored the idea of a ‘vessel’ as both a decorative object and a container for precious memories.

“Our thanks to all those who have been involved and supported us on this voyage of discovery.”

Worcester City Council arranged funding for the public artwork through developer contributions from Berkeley Homes in relation to their Waterside residential development.

The new display, positioned in the courtyard outside Henry Sandon Hall in the city’s ‘Porcelain Quarter’, consists of a sculpture inspired by shards of porcelain discovered in excavations of the original factory site and a series of wall-mounted plaques.

Together they will form a new hallmark trail which takes visitors round the historic site, taking in the former factory and exploring its history. Each plaque can be scanned to listen to a sound collage evoking the atmosphere of factory life as remembered by the people who worked there.

The event on 4 June will also see the arrival of another important addition to the Royal Porcelain Works’ heritage and tourism offer, with the arrival of a hi-tech Omi Mobii projector.

Funded by the Bransford Trust, an independent grant-making charity that invested in the multi-million pound redevelopment of the Royal Porcelain Works, this device is used to create interactive experiences. At launch, it will be based in Henry Sandon Hall and give visitors a unique immersive insight into life at ‘The Porcelain’, including oral history recordings of former Royal Worcester workers, digital jigsaws, then-and-now interactive imagery, and motion-activated porcelain painting.

The public will be able to enjoy the Marks of the Manufactory artwork and hallmark trail from Friday 5 June.