We love our street art in Hull!
Tuesday 31st of July 2018
Redeveloping an area can be a really frustrating time for the residents who live there. Hull City council worked with a graffiti artist to make a positive contribution to the neighbourhood while the acquisition and demolition phase was going on.
Hull Cc have been longstanding members of Tpas and when we heard about this excellent project we wanted to share it with you all. I first saw this on a Tweet and my thoughts included ‘amazing’ ‘brilliant’ ‘fab’ Tpas agree that this is an excellent way to bring people together across a neighbourhood that is due for demolition ; to create positive conversations and interactions
Gillian Mclaren Tpas national Consultancy manager
All over the city are examples of street art, from our very own Banksy to murals showing our fishing heritage.
When Hull embarked on its year as UK City of Culture the multi-storey blocks on the Great Thornton Street were lit up in a multi-coloured patina against the night sky. Since then more street art projects have followed and this weekend had our first “mass graffiti jam,” a City of Culture legacy project. It involved artists from across the UK using ten homes on the Preston Road Estate which are awaiting demolition as their canvas.
Everyone involved in Housing is really excited about the graffiti jam. Redeveloping an area can be a really frustrating time for the residents who live there so through this project we feel we are making a really positive contribution to the neighbourhood while the acquisition and demolition phase is going on.
Why paint on homes which are going to be pulled down I hear you ask?
Before
After
Our aim is that people will identify with the project because it’s on “their patch.” Street art give people tremendous pride and ownership of their local environment. Furthermore, it is becoming a powerful tool which is connecting the active participant and the passive observer with their neighbourhood, resulting in the re-socialising public spaces, whether people have been involved creating the art or simply popping along to look at the pictures.
Another example of our street art is in the dementia gardens at Bayswater Court flats. Students at Wilberforce College have created stunning images on the bleak garage walls abutting the garden. Together with tenants they have helped create an ambience of calm and the art is a permanent reminder of the intergenerational bond that has been forged through a range of activities between tenants and students over the years.
These projects are a source of pride and a great deal of positivity. We’ve more in the pipeline and about to embark on a city-wide initiative with our long term partner the Goodwin Trust…… more about these another time!
Dave Richmond
City Manager, Neighbourhoods and Housing
Hull City Council
Tpas is looking for more good practice examples of engagement from other local authorities / councils out there that are doing some excellent work with communities. Tpas are hosting a series of roundtables across the country on behalf of the LGA to pick up all of this good practice that is happening. If you can’t get to one of these then there is an on line survey below.
Click here to view survey and roundtable dates