Unique artworks to be created in six towns across the district
Monday, September 09, 2024
Locally-inspired murals are heading to six towns across the district over the coming months.
Wakefield Council and Beam, a Wakefield-based creative organisation, will be working with leading artists and local communities in Hemsworth, Knottingley and Ferrybridge, Ossett, South Elmsall, and Normanton. The unique murals will celebrate local areas and the people who live there.
“We’re really excited that work is getting underway to create these landmark murals, designed to celebrate our places, our communities, and our creativity.
“Residents, businesses, and community groups are experts on their local areas. And we will be using this knowledge to create amazing new public art to celebrate our towns.
“Working with our local communities is key to making this artwork meaningful. They will see the work every day and they have the best ideas for what will celebrate their areas. By working together, we will help brighten up some of the key gateways into our towns. I can’t wait to see the creations.”
Cllr Hannah Appleyard
Cabinet Member for Culture, Leisure and Sport
Gordon Watson, Chair of the Public Art Steering Group, said: "This is a wonderful opportunity for local people to get involved with the exciting artists selected to create the murals. Each mural will be new, contemporary public art that celebrates and enhances our local communities and can be enjoyed by all at the gateways to local places. They will add to the richness of art in public spaces in the Wakefield district.”
The five appointed artists have been selected to create a series of murals in six locations across the Wakefield district.
- Hemsworth – an external wall at Hemsworth library will have a mural by Douglas Black
- Knottingley and Ferrybridge – a long wall at Hill Top Parade, Knottingley and a gable end at High St Fisheries in Ferrybridge will be created by Oskar
- Normanton – a wall at Normanton Market will be hosting a mural by Harriet Lawson
- Ossett – the gable end wall at Richmond’s Butchers, Market Square will include a mural by Shiraaz Ali
- South Elmsall – the gable end wall at One Stop shop will feature a mural by Peachzz
Each of the artists will be speaking with the local community, and especially with young people, to help feed ideas into their final designs and ensure they reflect and celebrate the very best in each of the six locations.
The murals will be installed before the end of the year.
Kate Watson, Principal Consultant at Beam, said: "The artists who have been commissioned bring a wealth of experience of delivering high quality projects with communities to create work that has meaning and impact. We can't wait to see the artworks that they develop with the people from each of the six towns."
The murals are part of Our Year – Wakefield District 2024. ‘Crossings and Gateways’ will deliver an exciting public art programme across communities in the district and provide a legacy that helps to transform places and celebrate the district’s unique heritage, as well as looking into the future.
Our Year – Wakefield District 2024 is an inclusive year-long celebration of Wakefield district and an invitation to enjoy 366 days of culture, creativity, and connection for everyone, everywhere. Our Year and the mural commissions have been kindly supported with investment from the West Yorkshire Combined Authority of £850,000, Arts Council England of £500,000 and National Lottery Heritage Fund of £245,000.
For further information, please visit: https://experiencewakefield.co.uk/our-year-2024/