Giant roadside art scheme takes shape at City Waterside

25 February 2010

Commuters and the City Waterside community are being asked to get arty in one of the UK’s largest ever creative roadside schemes. 

Hoardings are being erected for a 500 metre stretch of Bucknall New Road - one of the main routes into the City Centre – and RENEW is once again teaming up with innovative art group Glassball to give a unique touch to the regeneration site.

The hoardings running from the junctions with Ivy House Road and Wellington Road are necessary to shield motorists, pedestrians and nearby residents from the next phase of demolition and preparation of the land for redevelopment. 

RENEW and Glassball are asking the public to choose the style of artwork that will feature on this massive blank canvas, while local residents and schoolchildren will provide pictures and images to feature as part of this ‘Living Gallery’ project. 

A RENEW spokesperson explained:  “This is a great opportunity for the local community to really make their mark. We’re aiming to create a bright, imaginative streetscene on hoardings which would otherwise remain dull and bare."  

Glassball has worked closely with local residents and schools on a number of innovative projects – taking their old photos and ideas and creating images which featured on property security boards across the City Waterside area. 

Now they’re running a Photo Swap Shop event encouraging people to bring along their pictures of the local area, their families and also share their memories of living in the City Waterside area.  These will then be incorporated into the roadside hoarding’s overall design.

Cora Glasser of Glassball explained: “Involving the local community in this way has proved really popular – it is helping people become involved in change and regeneration in a positive and creative way. 

“We’re hoping lots of local people will come to the 'Photo Swap Shop' workshop on March 1st from 3 - 7 pm at the City Waterside Community Centre.  As a thank you, everyone who shares their pictures with us will go away with a portrait picture taken by Stoke-on-Trent Camera Club.” 

Once the art work has been created following the Photo Swap Shop event, and finalised by the Living Gallery Steering Group, it will be exhibited at the City Waterside Community Centre and various web sites, before being unveiled on the Bucknall New Road.

To view the three styles of hoarding artwork and have your say click here

To find out more about the Living Gallery project visit www.living-gallery.org

For more information on the Photo Swap Shop click here