Coventry, the city of culture and colour
Coventry is celebrating its year as City of Culture in many amazing ways, through exhibition, festivals, events, promotions and so much more. As a city, we really know how to explore and create moments that will provide a lasting legacy for years to come.
As a whole, the city of Coventry is consistently evolving and finding new and exciting ways to showcase its history and its people to further the inspiring examples of talent and spirit within the community…this year is no different.
This year Coventry is supporting its artists and giving them the opportunity to create amazing artwork across the city, showcasing the talent from the people of Coventry.
For those of you that are local or have managed to visit our amazing city in recent you may well have noticed that the city has had a truly spectacular makeover; a makeover not only of the public realm but of the walls within that has transformed the city into a colourful and creative space filled with artworks that tell the story of the city and brighten up the walkways throughout your journey.
The In Paint We Trust project began in May 2021. The City of Culture project which is being delivered by Coventry Business Improvement District (BID), sees the Street Art Strategy (SAS) team, a collective of local creatives from the street art and music scene, working to bring Local, National and International artists into the city. These artists have been given the opportunity to animate along pathways and walls giving audiences the chance to explore their city though different mediums. Hopefully you will have seen the many artworks appearing in unique spaces across the city centre.
The project, named appropriately as In Paint We Trust, is not just about decorative works, it also features opportunities to tell the stories that are important to the city through art in our everyday spaces. To spark conversation and allow for communities to get creative with workshop days. These workshops are ran by the SAS team of Melissa Smith, Michael Batchelor, Jay Holder and Andy Clare.
In Paint We Trust has already, and will continue to offer, opportunities for young people, local artists and facilitators to be a part of the experience with managed legal walls, workshops and other opportunities to paint in the programme.
The power of art doesn’t stop there; new additions are being added to the list of places to see incredible art by talented artists each week. When walking through the city, it is easy to find the artworks on display with colour splashed across the entire city, but here’s a glimpse of where to find some of the amazing creations:
Tower Street – Bishopgate Student Accommodation – Artist: David Speed
The first installation for the In Paint We Trust programme has been created by David Speed – a multi-disciplinary artist who illustrates vibrant, playful pieces that he captures as a time-lapse. David is a national, London-based artist and he was given the theme of HOPE for the piece. This links into the City of Culture themes for the year. The vibrant installation is situated on Coventry University’s Bishopsgate Student Accommodation.
Belgrade Plaza – The Belgrade Theatre – Artist: Dreph
For those of you that frequent our fabulous City, you may well have seen the immense artwork across the wall outside of the Belgrade Theatre, overlooking the Belgrade Plaza Fountain. The breath taking 20ft mural is dedicated to Ira Aldridge, an acclaimed actor who became Britain’s first Black theatre manager when he was handed the keys to the Coventry Theatre. Aldridge was a prominent activist in the abolitionist movement, also taking the theatre world by storm after moving to Britain to pursue his acting career, taking on roles in Shakespeare performances, including Romeo, Hamlet and Othello.
The artist, Dreph (Neequaye Dsane), aims to depict his subjects as present, empowered, and self-aware, and his work has appeared around the world including in high-profile exhibitions at the likes of the Tate Modern.
Hales Street – Esquires Coffee – Artist: Roots
Roots is a doodle artist who was brought into the In Paint We Trust project to work on the window surround of Esquires Coffee located at Coventry Transport Museum. The piece depicts all things coffee shop from fun images of latte cups to fruit and veg with smiles on. This is a fun and quirky addition to the project which livens up a simple grey wall.
New Union Street – NUS car park – Artist: Nomad Clan
Manchester based duo Nomad Clan have been commissioned to create Coventry & Warwickshire’s largest mural at New Union Street car park. Their task was to create a ‘tower of tales’ that represents the city’s past, present and future, with Coventry’s watchmaking history a focal point of inspiration. The stars and nebulae surrounding the clock face are a nod to Coventry’s first watch and clock maker Samuel Watson, who created time pieces for Isaac Newton, and the flames were added in reference to the current climate crisis, and the increasing time pressure to act.
The international acclaimed duo of Cbloxx and AYLO have had their artwork featured in locations across the world, from Sweden to Flint Michigan and Mexico, with Coventry being the latest city on their list. Using bold designs on large scales, their murals create impact as stand out features against the local scenery.
Well Street – Collegiate car park – Artist: DANK
Dan Kitchener, aka DANK, is the renowned street artist behind the energetic mural on Well Street given the name ‘Electric Future’. The vast mural features the iconic electric version of the London taxi, which is made in Coventry, and set against a neon filled Japanese streetscape highlighting the car’s iconic international appeal.
Dan uses influences from across the world, especially his travel to Japan, to create unique designs that often feature bright and luminous colours.
Spon Street – Coventry Caribbean Centre – Artist: Carleen De Sozer
Carleen De Sozer has used colour, community and culture as inspiration in the new mural splashed across the face of The New Coventry Caribbean Association centre, displaying the words ‘Community’ to tie the artwork in with what the centre does for our Community in the city.
Depicting the rich history of the centre through dance, dominoes, music and friendships the mural really captures the new campaign of ‘Unity in the Community’ that the Caribbean Association are working toward.
Priory Street – Priory Hall Gardens – Artist: Sophie Mess
From concrete jungle to floral mural the latest addition for In Paint We Trust programme has brought another blank wall in Coventry to life. Situated in the garden area at the side of Priory Hall on Coventry University campus the previous white wall has had a makeover by Devon based artist Sophie Mess.
Sophie specialises in vibrant botanical inspired artworks, bringing the colourful beauty of nature to the urban landscape. After seeing Sophie’s work the team with Coventry University felt it was a perfect fit for this location.
Sophie Mess – “It was a real pleasure to be a part of The In Paint We Trust Program, it’s always an honour to get to transform a public space, and I hope it inspires a little creativity and joy for the students in that area.”
Queen Victoria Road hoardings – Artist: Crom, Void One and more tbc.
The hoardings on Queen Victoria Road opposite the former IKEA building are being used by locally based artists who have been asked to install their interpretation of Engineering and Innovation. This has produced some very futuristic pieces that need to be witnessed to be appreciated.
Friargate hoardings – Artist: Kirsty Brewerton & Alan Van Wijgerden
Alan’s photographers Kirsty’s poem Diversity – “threads of hope and empathy, choke the throat of prejudice. Age old web of injustice. Dissected. Unpicked, Reworked. Into a tapestry of humanity”
The Watch Centre – Hillfields – Artist: N4T4
As part of the ‘Word on the Street’ project the installation on the side wall of the Watch Centre in Hillfields was part of an initiative instigated by the local Policing team. Police Community Support Officers recently ran a competition in conjunction with primary schools in the area to design artwork that was based on tackling the topics of bullying, internet safety, road safety and knife crime. The winning artwork was recreated by street artist N4T4 and installed in conjunction with The Watch Charity and Community Centre.
Coventry Peace Orchard – Coundon Hall Park – Artist: Katie O
Another fabulous mural was installed within Coventry Peace Orchard in Coundon Hall Park; an important symbol of the city’s role as a place of peace and reconciliation and was a dream of local D-Day veteran, Dennis Davison, who fought in the Second World War.
To bring old and new together, the mural was commissioned to be displayed on the side of a graffiti covered wall- designed and painted by local artist Katie O’Sullivan with the stunning work bringing together important elements of Coventry, consisting of soldiers silhouettes, apples, butterflies, a peace dove, and scenes of wildlife, all of which took inspiration from ideas of schoolchildren from a local school.
Pepper Lane – Cathedral Lanes – Artist: Matt Chu
Matt Chu, a professional Coventry artist and illustrator from Binley Woods, named the piece ‘At One with Cofa’s Tree’ which draws on elements of Coventry’s past, present and future fusing the artists’ psychedelic art style into a large scale mural.
The walls of the Cathedral Lanes development facing on to Pepper Lane have been painted in a variety of pastel colours, chosen by Matt, to tie-in with the colourful artwork, displayed in order of colour temperature from warm to cold. An installation of living walls with plants and greenery is also set to be installed to separate the colour sequence.
Pool Meadow – Artist: Various
An external piece of work has been installed on the Hales Street wall of Pool Meadow. Inspired by Coventry-based Victorian cycle innovator, James Starley, new street art inspired artwork has been created at the city’s bus station giving Pool Meadow a new and inspiring face with a new title artwork of ‘Pool Meadow’ brightening up the space and offering a breath of fresh air full of colour and vibrancy along with the other new features on display at Coventry’s bus station.
Artist Angry Dan put forward a design incorporating bright colours and an Ariel bicycle as a tribute to Starley, with the mural also featuring a limerick, written by the poet and street artist: ‘His vision of life on two wheels, The people, alike, Can all ride a bike, And soon we’ll be head over heels’.
Carrie Reichardt and her a team of talented tilers also took to the bus station to put together a beautiful installation of mosaic art, an ode to the origin of 2-tone music in Coventry in the late 1970’s inspired by Jamaican ska music.
Inside Pool Meadow along the main wall of the concourse you can see the work by artist Zoe Power which has the theme of ‘Key Workers’. The mural depicts the people who keep Coventry moving. Bus drivers, builders, doctors, bin men and NHS workers, are among a few of the professions highlighted in this colourful piece. The colours were inspired by the existing metal work and Zoes regular colour palette.
The latest installation is currently taking shape on the rear external wall of the Bus Station near the subway leading to White Street coach park.
Hertford Street – Artist: Morag Myerscough
Morag Myerscough took inspiration from the stained-glass window by John Piper at the Coventry Cathedral when working with Coventry City Council to breathe vitality into Hertford Street. Therefore, the beautiful transformation of Hertford Street, seeing bold expressions of colour and planting in vibrant and exciting colour choices to bring new life to the existing architecture.
Myerscough, has shown how colours are emotive; art can affect our mood in a positive way, making us feel happier, calmer, or even inspired to do something. The colours have provided a beauty to the architecture that hasn’t been seen before in the space, gifting Hertford Street with energetic and bright colour, solving the want for colour in the city centre. Morag’s work has completely transformed the space by creating an engaging experience for all throughout the popular shopping area.
FarGo Village
FarGo Village is home to numerous talented artists and creators, so it’s not a surprise to learn that there are a number of creative murals displayed throughout.
Lady Godiva, a prominent icon in the history of Coventry, inspired the mural at FarGo Village, featuring a detailed depiction of lady godiva upon her horse using the light blue of woad dye, traditional to Coventry (‘true Coventry blue’). The coloured diamond motifs suggest the stained-glass windows of the new cathedral, especially those of the baptistry.
A large-scale mural is made up of some of the worlds most endangered species, stretching across the top section of FarGo, it’s an immense piece of art that is best seen in the flesh.
These are just a couple of the pieces you can find at FarGo Village.
Throughout 2021 and continuing into 2022, the engagement, creativity and artistic talent has been inspiring. With all these amazing artworks popping up across the entire city, both in prominent locations and also hidden in places you may come across while visiting Coventry, it is most definitely something to see.
Colour is evident across our city, displaying itself in a number of ways, from art to music, food to festivals and the evident mix of culture surrounding our city. We’re all about showcasing talent and giving life to our city. We’ve never been a city to shy away from change and the ever changing scenery across Coventry is evidence to that!