A PUBLIC art competition which is capturing the imagination of residents in Brighton and Hove is the first nomination for the Contribution to Arts and Culture award.

With eye-catching designs capturing ideas such as the solar system, the fluidity of the sea, a covert antique cameraman and a prancing multicoloured horse – the Hove Plinth campaign brought out the best in the city’s creativity.

The campaign was spearheaded by the Hove Civic Society, who called for artists to submit their ideas for pieces of art to feature on the seafront plinth in King’s Esplanade at the bottom of Grand Avenue.

The idea was inspired by the famed Fourth Plinth in London’s Trafalgar Square, which features different pieces of art.

More than a thousand people from across Brighton and Hove engaged with the project, making the project a worthy nomination for the category sponsored by Theatre Royal Brighton for the The Argus Community Stars Awards.

A month long selection process saw the list whittled down to just three contenders and we are still waiting with bated breath to see who will take the top spot.

The selection panel took into account “artistic excellence”, artist's experience with large installations and public votes as well as budgetary issues and the level of community involvement in each proposal.

The society was granted planning permission for the stone plinth at the foot of Grand Avenue by Brighton and Hove City Council in April 2013 and has been busy finding funding for the project..

The society’s call to artists is supported by £10,000 in grants from the Arts Council and National Lottery, while members of the public have pledged an additional £10,000.

Last year’s nominations for the category included the Brighton venue Concorde 2, which heralded the return of American superstars the Foo Fighters.

Sick! Festival was also nominated after it was hailed as an “outstanding international cross art programme”.

Dr Roy Wales was the final nomination as he led a one-man mission bring the best of arts and culture to his beloved Rottingdean.