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A group of 18 people celebrating Co-Creative Connection Community Mural on Higgins Partnerships Hoarding in Islington, London. Hoarding for New City of London Homes.. They are all happy
6 participants of a Co-Creative Connection Community Mural project on Higgins Partnerships Hoarding in Islington, London. Hoarding for New City of London Homes. They are standing togther with Rose Hill celebrating the completion.

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The Brief

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Collaborating with the City of London residents of York Way Estate and the Islington community, we set out to create a vibrant community mural in May 2023 measuring 9.4m x 2.4m on the Higgins Partnership hoardings for 91 new social homes.

 

Our goal was to capture the community's ideas and spirit in the artwork and get everyone involved in the process. We wanted to make sure that everyone's ideas were represented in the mural. Participants drew inspiration from love, the rich local history, McMorran & Whitby architecture, and nearby estates, which we incorporated into the mural's patterns.

 

As a part of our environmental responsibility, we used recycled paints from our previous projects with Dulux and Brewers to ensure that no materials went to waste. Our aim is to create a beautiful mural that would inspire and bring joy to everyone who sees it.

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Supported by: Higgins Partnerships, The City Of London, Brewers and Dulux.

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Islington Mural Progression Video

Islington Mural Progression Video

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"We are really impressed with the stunning mural which now takes pride of place on our hoarding."

The Process

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The participants attended three workshops in March, where they explored their creativity and learned about different design elements. In the:

 

First workshop, we discussed the importance of colours and creating a mood board to set the tone for the artwork. We engaged in discussions about the participants' ideas and values, which helped to direct the mural's theme.

 

Second workshop, they learned about different inclusive pattern designs, such as African, Islamic, and Indian art, chevrons, and diamond layouts. This gave everyone the opportunity to explore and expand their design knowledge.

 

Final workshop, they used all the knowledge gained from the previous sessions to co-design the mural artwork together. Participants designed their own sections of the final mural and were able to choose their preferred patterns, colours, and shapes to include. This allowed them to take ownership of the project and create something truly unique and special.

 

The workshops were a fun and creative way to bring everyone together and create something beautiful for everyone to enjoy.

3 people are sitting at a table together. They are taking part in a community work shop, the leader of the workshop is leaning down talking to them.Co-Creative Connection Community Mural on Higgins Partnerships Hoarding in Islington, London. Hoarding for New City of London Homes.
9 people are posing with their moodboard which they made At a workshop for a Co-Creative Connection Community Mural on Higgins Partnerships Hoarding in Islington, London. Hoarding for New City of London Homes.
8 people are sitting round a table at a At a workshop for a Co-Creative Connection Community Mural on Higgins Partnerships Hoarding in Islington, London. Hoarding for New City of London Homes.
Co-Creative Connection Higgins Islington Tessa painting Triangles CCC_edited.jpg

"It was fun to be creative with other people in the community and to be a part of such a colourful project. I love the mural, loved helping design it and being able to do some of the painting. Can’t wait to see it finished. I’m sure it will look great and will bring light and colourful energy into this housing project."

Tessa,Project Participant

3 people are standing in front of a freshly painted Co-Creative Connection Community Mural on Higgins Partnerships Hoarding in Islington, London. Hoarding for New City of London Homes.
3 people are standing painting a Co-Creative Connection Community Mural on Higgins Partnerships Hoarding in Islington, London. Hoarding for New City of London Homes.

The Outcome

 

The completed mural is a beautiful representation of the past, present, and future of Islington. We drew inspiration from the estate's architecture, The distinctive white banding inspired by the McMorran & Whitby architecture, Victorian pub tiles, and playful playground patterns to create a design that celebrates the unique character of the area. 

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The inclusive design of the mural includes Indian art, the word LOVE written in hearts with the LGBTQIA2s+ flag behind to indicate that everyone is loved. This is an important message that we wanted to convey through our artwork.

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We incorporated the Victoria line pattern, which opened in 1969, showcasing the estate's connection to the city's transportation system.

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Through this design, the mural pays tribute to the rich history of Islington and celebrates the local community's spirit and essence. It's a beautiful representation of the area's past and present patterns, making it a wonderful addition to the community.

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 “We are really impressed with the stunning mural which now takes pride of place on our hoarding. I would like to thank all those who have taken part in creating it and hope the wider community will be inspired and enjoy seeing it as they walk by. Its wonderful to see throughout the design how the mural pays tribute to the rich history of Islington and celebrates the local community’s spirit and essence."

 

“We are really pleased to work with Rose once again on this fantastic addition to the local community.”

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-Amy Ross, Director of ESG at Higgins Partnerships 2023

3 women are standing in front of a Co-Creative Connection Community Mural on Higgins Partnerships Hoarding in Islington, London. Hoarding for New City of London Homes.

Ruzi Bibi Hassain, Rose Hill and Amy Ross- Islington Community Mural 2023

About The Design

 

Learn about the individuals who participated in this project and the thought process behind the design choices for each section of the mural.

A green Co-Creative Connection Graphic boarder

Miriam loved this 60s style design after seeing it on TV

in-between workshops and photographed it to be included. Miriam wanted to use blue after learning the meaning behind blue in the colour theory session.

A of a section of a Community Mural it is a Blue and white 60's design painted on a Co-Creative Connection Community Mural on Higgins Partnerships Hoarding in Islington, London. Hoarding for New City of London Homes.
A photo of someone drawing at a Co-Creative Connection Workshop, the photo is surrounded by a green graphic boarder.
A photo of someone standing at a Co-Creative Connection Workshop, they are holding up a mood board. the photo is surrounded by a dark blue graphic boarder.
Light, Pink, Dark Pink and White Chevrons painted on a Co-Creative Connection Community Mural on Higgins Partnerships Hoarding in Islington, London. Hoarding for New City of London Homes.
A dark blue Co-Creative Connection Graphic boarder

Gareth enjoyed colouring the chevrons and wanted to include them after learning about patterns.

A white Co-Creative Connection Graphic boarder

Lia wrote the word LOVE using hearts as the letters. Behind the word LOVE she added the LGBTQIA2S+ flag which symbolises that everyone is loved.

A photo of a section of a community Mural, it is a LGBTQ+ flag. Over the top of the flag is the word LOVE using hearts as the letters.Light, Pink, Dark Pink and White Chevrons painted on a Co-Creative Connection Community Mural on Higgins Partnerships Hoarding in Islington, London. Hoarding for New City of London Homes.
A photo of a woman smiling at a Co-Creative Connection Workshop, the photo is surrounded by a white graphic boarder.
A photo of someone drawing at a Co-Creative Connection Workshop, the photo is surrounded by a red graphic boarder.
A section of a Community Mural, it is a green and dark blue striped wave Light, Pink, Dark Pink and White Chevrons painted on a Co-Creative Connection Community Mural on Higgins Partnerships Hoarding in Islington, London. Hoarding for New City of London Homes.
A red Co-Creative Connection Graphic boarder

Tasia designed this artwork incorporating stripes after learning about them in the patterns session.

A pink Co-Creative Connection Graphic boarder

Shraddha created her very own Indian inspired artworks using her heritage and Henna designs.

A section of a Community Mural, It is a Indian-inspired artwork using heritage and Henna designs Light, Pink, Dark Pink and White Chevrons painted on a Co-Creative Connection Community Mural on Higgins Partnerships Hoarding in Islington, London. Hoarding for New City of London Homes.
A photo of someone standing at a Co-Creative Connection Workshop, they are holding up a mood board. the photo is surrounded by a pink graphic boarder
A photo of someone drawing at a Co-Creative Connection Workshop, the photo is surrounded by a orange graphic boarder.
A section of a Community Mural, it is a design including the N7 postcode which is repeated to resemble the stitching on clothes Light, Pink, Dark Pink and White Chevrons painted on a Co-Creative Connection Community Mural on Higgins Partnerships Hoarding in Islington, London. Hoarding for New City of London Homes.
A Orange Co-Creative Connection Graphic boarder

The postcode N7 was designed by Natalie. We repeated the N7 close together to resemble stitching on clothes.

A yellow Co-Creative Connection Graphic boarder

Leo created his own pattern design and wanted his man to be included. He loved the warm colours after learning about them in the colour theory.

A section of a Community Mural, it is a semi-circle design with red orange and yellow. The centre of the design is a yellow character Light, Pink, Dark Pink and White Chevrons painted on a Co-Creative Connection Community Mural on Higgins Partnerships Hoarding in Islington, London. Hoarding for New City of London Homes.
A photo of someone standing at a Co-Creative Connection Workshop, they are holding up a mood board. the photo is surrounded by a yellow graphic boarder
A photo of someone standing at a Co-Creative Connection community mural, Infront of a mural being painted. the photo is surrounded by a green graphic boarder
A section of a Community Mural, of a triangle repeating pattern. The colours are red, light blue, dark blue and pink Light, Pink, Dark Pink and White Chevrons painted on a Co-Creative Connection Community Mural on Higgins Partnerships Hoarding in Islington, London. Hoarding for New City of London Homes.
A green Co-Creative Connection Graphic boarder

Tessa created her own pattern design after learning about pattern styles. Tessa's design took shape in the form of pyramids, and when looking at them, it creates a 3D feeling, and other shapes start to appear.

A white Co-Creative Connection Graphic boarder

Lia and Leo created their own diamond pattern together after learning about patterns.

A section of a Community Mural, of a diamond pattern with orange, yellow and white Light, Pink, Dark Pink and White Chevrons painted on a Co-Creative Connection Community Mural on Higgins Partnerships Hoarding in Islington, London. Hoarding for New City of London Homes.
A photo of two people drawing at a Co-Creative Connection Workshop, the photo is surrounded by a white graphic boarder.
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"I have attended three workshops, together with my 10 year old, and I am so happy we did! The workshops were about designing a mural for hoardings on a construction site, every session was well prepared, informative and interesting! Rose is an incredible artist and amazing person. She made us feel welcomed and appreciated. Loved working on creating new patterns and designs! I look forward to participate in future projects organised by Rose."

Lia, Project Participant

Co-Creative Connection Community Mural on Higgins Partnerships Hoarding in Islington, London. Hoarding for New City of London Homes.
Co-Creative Connection Community Mural on Higgins Partnerships Hoarding in Islington, London. Hoarding for New City of London Homes.
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