Ipswich Central working with Art Eat Events and The Subversiv Collective have secured £100,000 in funding from the Arts Council to deliver a programme of creative urban art projects with young people in Ipswich this year.
The ‘Wild Walls project’ will see Art Eat and The Subversiv Collective engage with the 14–30 age range, who will work with established artists to produce new murals and public art interventions around the town. There will also be Virtual Reality (VR) workshops and a VR exhibition for visitors to experience at the University of Suffolk, print fair, cinema screenings, live art workshops and music events as part of the programme.
Lee Walker, Ipswich Central’s Chief Executive Officer, said: “Creative visual projects like this enhance the vibrancy of a town, drive footfall and reduce tagging. It is an exciting project that we are pleased to support for the town as a celebration of art, culture and creativity and we cannot wait to see the impact it has on the town centre.”
Claudia West, East Area Interim Director, Arts Council England, adds: “We are delighted to support the Wild Walls Art Festival, which promises to involve young people in inspiring artistic experiences and benefit Ipswich’s cultural landscape. By engaging young people with established professional artists, we hope to nurture the next generation of creative talent.”
Iona Hodgson from Art Eat, who will be managing the programme with project partners, says: “As an arts organisation with a community focus, we feel that producing a street art festival programme is a great opportunity for the young people of Ipswich. We encourage young people to get in touch and get involved.”
Ian Dance from The Subversiv Collective will be leading delivery of the murals and VR Workshops, he adds: “The Subversiv Collective are pleased to be a partner on such an ambitious project for Ipswich. Wild Walls brings creativity to central Ipswich for all to enjoy, from passionate professional street artists and young creatives.”
Once complete, a new walking trail of the art installations will be produced for residents and visitors to tell the story behind these creations as a new Art Trail legacy for the town.
About those involved:
Ipswich Central is the Business Improvement District (BID) for Ipswich Town Centre and supported the team delivering the Wild Walls Project by enabling the Arts Council funding bid to be made.
Arts Council England is the national development agency for creativity and culture with a strategic vision Let’s Create that by 2030. We want England to be a country in which creativity is valued and given the chance to flourish and where everyone has access to a remarkable range of cultural experiences. From 2023 to 2026 we will invest over £467 million of public money from Government and an estimated £250 million from The National Lottery each year to help support the sector and to deliver this vision. Website: www.artscouncil.org.uk
Art Eat Events CIC are a community interest company who encourage authentic connection through place-relevant projects. The Art Eat team are dedicated to supporting and building better communities through urban art events. The opportunities to get involved with activities and events will be promoted on @arteatevents social media channels.
The Subversiv Collective represents a group of professional street artists who deliver aspirational street art worldwide. The collective works to provide exposure, development and revenue to their artists, enabling them to keep doing the exceptional work they do, for all of us to enjoy. Find out more about their work online at www.subversivcollective.com
Local groups involved in the Wild Walls project are: The Hive, YMCA, Suffolk Refugee Support, ISCRE, Karibu, Catch 22, 4YP, Chip, Suffolk Pride, Murrayside Community Centre CIC, Ipswich Community Media, Volunteering Matters, Future Female Society, Sounds East CIC, SPILL, King Street Cinema, Ipswich Job Centre Plus, Suffolk Libraries, Suffolk New College, University of Suffolk, The Hold – Suffolk Archives, Ipswich Museum and Ipswich Borough Council.
The image above shows a mural in Ipswich on the Dance East building delivered by Art Eat.
