Vibrant Subway Murals Taking Shape in Weymouth
You may have spotted some amazing new artwork brightening up two of Weymouth’s well-used underpasses in Westham.
Weymouth Town Council’s Finance and Governance Committee awarded a community grant of £5,000 to Hope House Children’s, Community and Youth Hub in July to create the murals. The first subway has been completed featuring some familiar creatures from the sea including crab, jellyfish, a sea turtle, sea horses, sharks and a large octopus. Artwork on the second subway is also underway.
If you are inspired by the story behind the murals below and your organisation needs a helping hand to get a community project off the ground, the deadline for the next round of grants closes on Sunday 4th October. Visit Grants – Weymouth Town Council | Weymouth Town Council for more details.
The Story Behind the Murals
Joe Hobday, Youthwork Pioneer and Hope House Manager tells us how the murals came about about seeing a social media post from Weymouth Town Council Councillor Alex Fuhrmann about getting the subways improved and painted.
Joe said: “As part of my work, I run a summer programme called Hope House, Summer of Fun, which we have been running for four years now.
“Originally, the programme was mainly about taking the young people we work with on free trips and giving them opportunities to have fun and experience new things. Three years ago, though, I decided that I wanted to introduce a community element, giving the young people the opportunity to contribute something positive to the town and feel that they had a real part to play in their community.
“Over the past three years, they have been involved in all sorts of projects. We have worked with food banks, the Nest Social Café and Social Supermarket, helped clear gardens, and a couple of years ago some of the young people even helped deliver activities at the Nothe Fort including teaching lessons and helping with toys and visitors.”
Joe got in contact with the Council and applied for a community grant, adding: “The funding enabled us to work alongside two amazing artists, Peter Sheridan and Will. They met with the young people, listened to their ideas and helped them develop the theme for the artwork. Peter and Will also ran a workshop with them, where they could share their thoughts, ideas and suggestions and really have ownership of what was being created.
“Then, during one of the Fridays of our Summer of Fun programme, we took the young people down to help with some of the painting. They absolutely loved it! Some of them initially said, “I might stay for an hour,” and then, hours later, they still didn’t want to leave and were asking if they could stay longer!
“What has been particularly lovely is seeing how proud they are to have actually played a part in creating something that is now a permanent piece of art in our town. They have a real sense of ownership over it, and now that people are seeing it, they are all so excited to be able to say, “We helped make that.”
“It’s been such a brilliant project, and we are really looking forward to getting involved in finalising the second subway too.”
Cllr David Northam, Chair of Finance and Governance Committee which approved the funding for the murals, said: “The subway murals are really starting to take shape providing a vibrant splash of colour in this well-used part of Weymouth. A grant of £5,000 was awarded to Hope House Children’s, Community and Youth Hub in July. The money helped source the artists and materials to work with young people to create the designs. Why not take a visit to the two underpasses in Westham by the Swannery and enter this underwater world?
“If you are part of a local community or voluntary group in Weymouth and would like funding to get your project off the ground, the deadline to apply is fast approaching on Sunday 4th October. For full details, eligibility, and how to apply visit our grants page on the website.”
Below, Joe shares a sneak peek of the first mural to be created.
Artist Peter Sheridan paints a sea horse as part of the mural
ENDS
Notes to Editors
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