Artwork by 200 Young People Goes on Display
Over two hundred young people collaborated on a community art initiative in Sandwell, recently unveiled by local youth workers. The project aimed to express creativity and strengthen pride in local communities.
Throughout October half-term, professional artist Ginger Dan (real name Danni Evans) conducted art workshops aboard Sandwell’s double-decker Youth Bus. The mobile studio brought canvases and materials to parks and estates across the region’s six towns, engaging young residents in open art sessions.
“The project is about what their communities mean to them. They came up with words in brainstorming sessions such as peace, unity and friendship and turned them into graffiti,” said Ginger Dan.
Participants explored themes like peace, friendship, and shared identity, transforming their ideas into vibrant graffiti murals. Many chose to portray local parks, familiar faces, and uplifting imagery in colorful designs now exhibited at the Coneygre Art Centre in Tipton.
“There have been peace symbols, they’ve been drawing their friends and the parks where they spend a lot of their time and it’s all really bright and colourful,” added the artist.
Thirteen-year-old Sam from Wednesbury said the area’s industrial roots inspired his artwork.
“The history of Wednesbury is a lot. Some of the shops and the factories in Friar Park have been going for 100 years, which is amazing. I’m proud to grow up in Wednesbury because there are a lot of nice people here, the youth workers are all really friendly and there are nice shops in the town. I feel like it’s a good thing they’re doing the artwork.”
Community Expression and Youth Pride
The exhibition highlights how creative projects can build unity, inspire pride, and provide young people with a voice to celebrate their roots through art.
Author’s Summary: A vibrant youth art project in Sandwell, driven by over 200 participants, showcases creativity, unity, and pride across local communities through engaging public workshops.