A Guide to Developing Murals + 2D Artwork Across the Wakefield District

A GUIDE TO DEVELOPING MURALS & 2D ARTWORK

Across The Wakefield District

Commissioned in summer 2022 by Wakefield Council, the Guide to Developing Murals & 2D Artwork has been produced by Beam in collaboration with Emmeline North.

Cover Image: All Saints Yard, by Benjamin Craven, image © The Art House

Third Eye Designs – Mural at the Art House Wakefield

Rachel List NHS Heroes, the Cobbler Pub Pontefract, Tim Hill Photography

1. WELCOME

By Cllr Michael Graham, Cabinet Member for Culture, Leisure and Sport

The Wakefield Public Art Framework, which was adopted by the Council earlier this year, is the first step towards realising the district’s vision for high-quality, accessible public art focused on community, creativity, production and innovation. All of which will contribute to Wakefield’s growing reputation as a cultural hotspot and a meeting place for creativity.

The Framework also provides guidance and support for the growth of creativity in its widest sense and recognises the positive impact such activity has on our everyday lives; it can celebrate diversity, support learning and skills and promote wellbeing.

Public art also benefits our local economy. Creativity and imagination will never become obsolete or be out of fashion, it is vital to the district’s future success as it brings employment opportunities and creates a stimulating and attractive place for visitors to stay, shop and spend.

The Guide to Developing Murals & 2D Artwork sits alongside the Public Art Framework and adds to the growing menu of creative opportunities that will enhance the quality of our public spaces. Mural and street art has a growing and popular appeal which can be clearly seen across our cities and towns. It became even more prominent during the pandemic as seen by the murals that suddenly appeared on walls around Pontefract. The Banksy style imagery by Rachel List communicating a colourful and poignant tribute to our heroic NHS and frontline health workers.

The creative possibilities are almost endless, with a wide variety of surfaces and physical locations across the district readily available as ‘blank canvases’ just waiting for creative imaginations to be unlocked. The range of exciting opportunities are quite clearly demonstrated in the Case Studies and Murals A-Z which supplement this document.

The Guide to Developing Murals & 2D Artwork has been developed from extensive research undertaken at a local, regional and national level and is supported by consultation with a wide range of local stakeholders and organisations. We would like to thank everyone who has contributed to the development of this document especially Kate Watson, the Principal consultant at Beam and the artist Emmeline North.

Councillor Michael Graham Portfolio Holder for Culture, Leisure and Sport, Wakefield Council

2. INTRODUCTION

Wakefield Council commissioned this guide to provide a framework for the implementation of murals and 2D art in the public realm across the Wakefield district.

This guide supplements the Wakefield Public Art Framework, which outlines a vision to put creativity at centre stage of the Wakefield district, to tell Wakefield’s story, providing a bridge between the industrial past of the district and its creative future, inspiring future generations.

This guide and supplementary appendices have been designed to offer inspiration, highlighting a range of possibilities alongside practical and flexible guidance on how to successfully embed murals and 2D art across the district, taking a dynamic yet cohesive approach. Whether you are a Council employee, commercial developer, run a community group or work as a

practising artist, this guide offers an insight into the whole process from kickstarting an idea, to engaging people and making it happen.

The Guide to Developing Murals & 2D Artwork has been created by cultural development organisation Beam in collaboration with artist Emmeline North, through consultation with district-wide stakeholders.

The Wakefield Public Art Framework Steering Group (PAFSG) will oversee the implementation of this guide. All potential projects should be shared with the PAFSG at their inception stages to increase potential to foster connections and generate greater impact.

VISION

Over the coming years, we want the spirit of the district to be celebrated through an engaging and experimental approach to integrating murals, street art and 2D art, inspiring residents and visitors to explore and connect. Artworks will be co-produced with our communities, embedding opportunities to learn and to nurture the development of early career artists.

Westgate’s Hidden Stories, Wakefield, by Ekaterina Sheath

CONTEXT

The Guide to Developing Murals & 2D Artwork is underpinned by substantial desktop research undertaken into local, regional and national policies and initiatives, alongside consultation with a wide range of stakeholders and organisations plus exploratory site visits to identified potential locations for murals.

We are on the cusp of an exciting few years: locally with the Wakefield city centre sculpture programme and Our Year –Wakefield District 2024, multiple major regeneration schemes in the city centre and across district alongside annual events and initiatives returning post pandemic; and regionally with a number of key initiatives approaching such as Leeds 2023, Kirklees Year of Music 2023, Bradford City of Culture 2025, A Place Strategy for West Yorkshire and emerging Culture, Heritage and Sport Framework led by the West Yorkshire Combined Authority.

Nationally, the power of arts, culture and heritage to improve our places and daily lives is being recognised, with funding being implemented to support this including: Future High Streets Fund, Towns Fund, the Getting Building Fund and Welcome Back Fund, as well as UK-wide investment through the Levelling Up Fund and UK Community Renewal Fund and uplift of Arts Council England resources outside of the capital.

Our research has shown there is a collective momentum around key priorities that have the potential for long-term change which resonate with the potential impact of this guide including:

• improving green spaces and promoting ecological diversity

• environmental sustainability

• rethinking and developing resilient ‘high streets’ and town centres

• supporting positive health and wellbeing

• safer communities

• improving connectivity

• creating destinations for experiences

• supporting and retaining talent

• empowering communities and growing active citizenship

• opening up access to arts, culture and heritage

3. WHAT DO WE MEAN BY MURALS AND 2D ART?

Murals and 2D art may include any artist-led intervention that will inject colour, intrigue, insight, decoration, surprise, and fun into the surfaces and fabric of our public realm.

This might include, but is not limited to, buildings, hoardings, bridges, pedestrian areas, shop windows, roads, paving, fencing and street furniture. The work may range from the figurative to the decorative and could cover subjects as diverse as depictions of local sporting heroes or world events to co-produced works that emerge through working closely with communities.

Artworks have the potential to be tactile, interactive or multisensory in nature. They can connect to wider initiatives across the district and each specific location, connect places and support wayfinding. They could be designed to respond to environmental triggers or change as they age, the possibilities are endless and could go far beyond more traditional painted murals.

They can range in materials from those that create more ephemeral temporary experiences to more robust permanent works. The medium chosen must chime with the ambitions and ideas of the communities in which they will be sited and truly shaped by the place.

“This is a chance to be experimental, to take risks and provide opportunities for artists to develop their career.”

– Consultee comment

Fox Park Viaduct, Bristol, by Zoe Power, Save Bain, Anna Higgie, Graft, Silent Hobo, Peace of Art/Artzyms

4. WHAT DIFFERENCE CAN MURALS AND 2D ART MAKE?

The work of Artists in public spaces can enhance how we understand the past, present and future of our places, as well as welcoming both local people and visitors to explore.

Impact and benefits may include:

• Enhance a sense of place and celebrate local distinctiveness and diversity

• Celebrate and reflect what is relevant to communities whether this be heritage, landscapes, stories, folklore, nature or something else

• Create more attractive places to live, work and visit

• Support health and wellbeing, connecting people to each other and to their local area

• Support wayfinding and legibility encouraging residents and visitors to explore the wider district

• Nurture the local cultural ecology to support growth, talent development and resilience of creative practitioners and organisations

• Empower communities and support active citizenship

• Skills development

• Inspire and challenge audiences

• Artists collaborating with design teams can offer creative solutions, challenging assumptions or proposing unconventional approaches

• Connect the wider district and amplify wider initiatives.

As murals and 2D art are a form of public art, many of the benefits listed above align with the potential impact of public art listed in the Wakefield Public Art Framework.

“Surrounding neighbourhoods feel forgotten. These types of projects could re-engage people and reflect diversity.”

– Consultee comment

5. GUIDING PRINCIPLES

The following guiding principles have emerged from stakeholder and community consultation and should be embedded in all projects.

• District wide - this guide is for the whole district. It is important to consider areas of low engagement, the towns / areas which may feel forgotten and could benefit most.

• Take risks - this is a chance to be experimental, the process is just as important as the final outcome.

• Engage - engagement is key to successful outcomes ensuring artworks are relevant and sustainable.

• Empower Young People - actively seek opportunities to engage and empower young people.

• Identity & Resurgence - support the development of positive associations across the district that are place specific.

• Collaborate - make the most of existing assets, connections and initiatives, collaborating across projects, events and networks.

• Cross Disciplinary - seek opportunities to adopt a cross disciplinary approach to enrich the process and outcomes.

• Diversity - be proactive in promoting diversity, equity and inclusion.

• Sustainability - minimise negative environmental impacts and increase opportunities to enhance our public realm.

• Accessibility - embed accessibility considerations throughout.

• Transparency - be open in sharing processes, progress and challenges.

• Learning & Skills - embed opportunities for learning and skills development.

• Evaluation - consider evaluation from the start and make time to review impact and be prepared to adapt your approach in response to feedback.

6. OVERARCHING THEMES

Through consultation we have identified six overarching themes to help guide a cohesive approach to murals and 2D art across the district:

Town Spirit

Reflect the story and spirit of each town which may include: culture, heritage, future, industry, personal stories, and capturing the spirit of a point in time or a movement to help share the identity of what makes the Wakefield district unique.

My Word

Wakefield is home to numerous creative writers, spoken word artists and poets and the Council’s Library service runs the successful annual Word Fest! Building on these rich foundations, seek opportunities for cross disciplinary collaborations between writers and visual artists resulting in bespoke typography projects.

Voices

We want to amplify voices which are not normally seen or heard, to facilitate cross generational, cross-cultural opportunities to interact, engage and learn from one another.

Icons & Legacy

Celebrate our claims to fame (historical & present day) whether this be sporting heroes, industry with national impact or important historical figures. Work with the Wakefield Museums and Castles collections and current movements such as Blue Plaque Parity for women to unearth and share these stories.

“We shouldn’t forget about Wakefield’s wider heritage such as: train building; textiles; agriculture; milling; coal mining; Romans; War of the Roses; canal network and trade; glass manufacture.”

– Consultee comment

Gateways and Connections

Uplift routes and gateways whether they be pedestrian, rail, road, cycle routes to encourage wandering and exploration of our urban and rural areas to create waymarkers, enhance the distinct identity of the district, increase sense of safety and support physical health and positive wellbeing. This theme is also a chance to celebrate the importance of our waterways and other travel routes in shaping the district, our industries and connectivity.

Natural World

Reflect, celebrate and signpost to the Wakefield district’s beautiful and varied natural landscape, canals and waterways, nature reserves and sites of Special Scientific Interest boasting wildlife and geological sites of national importance bringing nature into our urban settings.

“This is a chance to tell the story of the town, to support our identity. There is a big leap from the turn of the century to what it is now!”

– Consultee comment

Connecting the District by Lang Baumann

7. DISTRICT WIDE IDEAS

Connections

One of the key findings from our consultation is the opportunity to increase impact through increased connectivity. To connect with each other; to connect organisations, creative practitioners and businesses; to connect the district; to connect with existing networks such as Creative Wakefield, Community Anchors and Libraries; and to connect with existing programmes such as Light Up, Word Fest, city centre sculpture programme and Our Year – Wakefield District 2024.

This may take many forms, it could include: embedding temporary or permanent murals and 2D art as outcomes from creative writing workshops as part of the annual Word Fest; perhaps teaming up with Libraries to reach out to their communities to engage; or it might be connecting a visual artist with a signage company etc.

Under Construction

Engaging an artist to design hoardings for sites undergoing regeneration can bring so many benefits and not cost the earth. Designs could evolve from community engagement and help to develop an identity for the new site and wider area, share positive messages, or be indicative of what the new site will offer (if appropriate). The approach could include the artist working in collaboration with the community to produce the artwork or the final artwork could be realised through printed vinyls.

Kaleidoscopic Minds by Azarra Amoy, Peckham, London

Wabi Sabi

Engaging artists in creatively embellishing the imperfections of our public realm could bring surprise and delight. For example, across the district there are many areas of paving that have needed to be infilled with tarmac following maintenance worksthese areas are prime sites for small scale interventions that together would change our experience of the urban landscape.

In traditional Japanese aesthetics, wabi-sabi (侘寂) is a world view centred on the acceptance of transience and imperfection. The aesthetic is sometimes described as one of appreciating beauty that is "imperfect, impermanent, and incomplete" in nature.

Flacking, Lyon, France, by Ememem

Digital

Digital and new media artists can offer audiences a range of experiences through projection mapping, augmented reality and virtual reality to see our public realm from a new perspective. Investment is required for research, training, and in the physical technology and infrastructure enable artists to produce digital works that can temporarily or permanently enhance our public realm.

We recommended initiating an artist development programme to develop knowledge, skills and experience of creating digital works in the public realm alongside a rolling programme of artist commissions to test out their skills and ideas. This should incorporate the potential to utilise sustainable technologies to produce artworks for example that harvest kinetic energy generated with footsteps to power a multitude of applications such as LED displays, interactive multimedia, gamification, green walls and more.

Still by Novak at Wakefield Cathedral

Street Furniture

Artists can bring intrigue and fun to the standard, boring street furniture found in every town and city. To have a real impact, one item, such as benches, lampposts, planters or manholes could be transformed across a whole town or even the whole district!

Legal Walls

Legal walls can act as a melting pot for talent development enabling artists to improve their craft without fear of repercussions. These sites tend to be selfcurated and can also be a hub for programming demonstrations and workshops with children and young people. The quality work produced at the underpass on Green Lane, Horbury Junction demonstrates the potential for this approach.

Urban Jewel, Birmingham by Emmeline North

Street Art, Horbury Junction, Wakefield

8. WORKING WITH ARTISTS AND CREATIVE PRACTITIONERS

Artists and creative practitioners should be valued and supported. If you do not have capacity to manage the commission or haven’t led any similar initiatives, you may wish to consider working with a creative producer who will liaise with the artist and relevant stakeholders such as the PAFSG throughout, and coordinate the whole project (see Appendix I: ‘How To’ Guidance section 1).

You will need to set an appropriate fee to cover the artist's time and expenses (see Appendix I: ‘How To’ Guidance section 3), including their research and preparation, attending meetings, design development, making time, evaluation etc. If additional work is required, the artist should be compensated for their time.

Artists are experts in their field and their skills and experience should be respected. There should be trust in the process without commissioners seeking to micromanage or ‘design by committee’. Creating the right conditions, promoting openness and transparency against the backdrop of a strong brief, setting parameters from the beginning, alongside key milestones, will support the artist and design ideas to flourish.

Artists should be properly credited alongside any promotion of the work.

Once artworks are in situ it is important to liaise with the artist about how you wish to promote and describe the work, any issues, necessary changes to the work, relocation, decommissioning, maintenance or if you wish to reproduce their imagery etc. (See Appendix I: ‘How To’ Guidance section 13).

“It would be great to get support in understanding how I could upscale my ideas to be realised as a large-scale mural.”

– Consultee comment

SUPPORTING EARLY CAREER ARTISTS

From the moment an artist commits to a career in their chosen practice, whether on a full or part time basis, finding opportunities, securing fair rates of pay, a regular income stream, a space to work and grow their practice and building a collaborative support network are just some of the challenges faced.

Moving into the realm of public art through 2D murals creates opportunities to help overcome many of these challenges. Artists gain exposure, a new platform for their work, an opportunity to work at a larger scale in the public realm and connect with like-minded creatives. For communities, the improvement to public spaces from small through to large scale installations, promotes a sense of place and identity.

Artist-led projects often help strengthen the bonds of the community, especially through engagement activities. Installations create conversation, which may be positive and negative and spark imagination of what else could be achieved.

For the artist, gaining the early experiences is often the greatest barrier as briefs set by commissioners generally ask for examples of previous relevant experience.

Appendix II: Support for Emerging Artists offers specific guidance aimed at early career artists or artists interested in translating or upscaling their work into murals or 2D art. Researched by Emmeline North and with input from established artists as well as those earlier on in their

career, it aims to highlight best practices for all parties and shares valuable input from working artists as to how communities and organisations can support and value the work. These conversations have highlighted where to find existing networks and how skill sharing can be of mutual benefit and contribute to the strengthening of the creative network in the town or district, and hopefully generate interest in more future projects. These findings plus research carried out across an index of over 30 case studies have influenced the following recommendations.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Embed opportunities for early career artists to collaborate with established artists

What better way to gain experience, knowledge and skills than by working alongside an established artist. Both parties can benefit from the pairing.

The lead (established) artist benefits from additional support potentially including design development, community engagement, carrying out the installation, cleaning up and having a colleague to secure the site during breaks, help with working at heights safely and engaging with passers-by. It can also be extremely rewarding to see people develop and flourish in their own right.

In exchange for their commitment to assisting in as many aspects as possible, the support (early career) artist gains valuable insight throughout the design process, engagement, and the installation - from priming the site, methods of scaling up designs, types of paint and painting techniques or other materials, troubleshooting and overall growing in confidence and being part of a strong network.

It is recommended that a bursary is built into projects to support early career artists, valuing their time and commitment. The commission brief and lead artist budget should account for the established artist providing the support required.

The pairing should be initiated once a lead artist is appointed so that they can help to select the artist. This could be facilitated through an open call out for expressions of interest or a more targeted approach via a local or regional network such as Creative Wakefield, The Art House, or connecting with Further and Higher Education institutions.

Act as a facilitator

Consider how you can help the artist to realise their ideas on a practical level. For example, you may find that the artist needs support in finding a space to work from such as an empty shop or warehouse. You may be able to help them make connections and facilitate opportunities to network. You may be able to draw on your contacts to lever in kind or discounted support for materials or equipment. You may be able to draw on your experience to act as a sounding board for their ideas and bring practical knowledge and advice.

Develop their portfolio

If all parties agree, the support artist should be able to use the experience and their role in the project as part of their portfolio, the intellectual property of the work is retained by the lead artist unless otherwise agreed. You may be able to pay for professional photos or video documenting the process and final outcomes to enhance their portfolio. Credit the support artist within promotion and offer to provide a testimonial.

9. ENGAGING COMMUNITIES

All artworks produced are ultimately for the benefit of people, whether these be residents, visitors or both. It is vital that communities are engaged in the process to ensure works are relevant and site specific, nurture local supporters for the work helping to mitigate against vandalism, increase community cohesion, break down barriers, to increase skills and share learning. Residents, local businesses and organisations are experts on their locality and offer a deeper understanding of the place.

Engagement can be approached in a number of ways and should be embedded from the beginning of a project. Options range from full co-production to actively participating in creative engagement, contributing to research and ideas supporting the artist's design development, co-creation of artworks or experiencing the work as part of a wider audience.

“I would like to bring young people’s voices to the fore.”

– Consultee comment

Mural at the Addy Knottingley

RECOMMENDATIONS

Co-production

A good place to start is setting up a small working group inviting community representatives from different groups and organisations in sectors such as arts / culture / health / education / religious settings to help guide the project. Consider diversity and inclusion when setting up the group and seek to be representative of the community in which the work will be delivered (see Appendix I: ‘How To’ Guidance section 10). If there is a particular focus to the project such as being led by young people, then the choice of representatives should reflect that. This could be done via direct invitation or open call.

The working group should be empowered to take ownership of the project and be involved in shaping the artist brief and site selection, artist recruitment and delivery. Members of the group will all have different experiences, skills and connections they can draw on to benefit the project.

In exchange, they may benefit from meeting new people and organisations, learning new skills, gaining a more in depth understanding of their locality, and enhancing the public realm for their community. Depending on the funding body and level of commitment required to be a member of the working group, remuneration for time and or expenses may need to be considered for those representing charities, freelancers or unwaged.

It’s important to remember that co-production with communities takes time to develop and it can be beneficial to initiate connections through existing trusted organisations and initiatives such as NOVA, Wakefield Libraries Team, Wakefield Museums and Castles, City of Sanctuary etc. and there is of course the PAFSG who have been specifically established to provide support for groups and individuals wishing to develop public art programmes in their locality.

Engaging Children and Young People

Engaging children and young people can bring a unique perspective to a project and meaningful engagement can have multiple benefits to participants.

With over 128 schools and colleges across the district, these education settings can be a great vehicle to engage children and young people whether that’s on or off timetable. By engaging with the Youth Voice Steering Group, you will reach up to 35 different youth organisations serving the district to help target specific groups relevant to the project. In addition, there are many community centres, creative and youth organisations delivering outreach programmes for children and young people across the district as well as partnerships such as Spark (Wakefield's cultural education partnership). In order to reach children and young people it is advised that you connect via one of these existing, trusted routes where safeguarding policies are in place.

Engaging children and young people can offer a direct route to raising awareness about the project more widely amongst their parents / carers, friends and family, increasing reach and impact.

Approaches to engagement will vary depending on age groups for example: early years and primary school settings may benefit from more participatory creative activities learning new techniques and exploring the themes of the artwork; secondary and further education settings may benefit from opportunities to take on the artist's role, mirroring the commissioning process by developing creative responses to the artist brief, gaining an insight into the process.

Engagement is key to inspiring the next generation of creative professionals and can not only harness their thoughts and contributions towards the development of a project, but it can also provide the chance for them to gain new skills, knowledge,

inspiration and confidence. It can increase their pride in place, empowering them to be active citizens, showing they can have a real influence on the place where they live, helping to shape the future of their district. Participation can increase their aspirations, expand their own networks and provide an introduction to creative career pathways through working directly with professional artists. This approach supports the desire to retain young people developing their creative careers in the district and demonstrating that creativity happens here in Wakefield, and they don’t need to move away from the area to pursue a creative career.

Wider opportunities to bring generations together can be beneficial through sharing stories, experiences and skills, promoting shared understanding and breaking down stereotypes.

Legacy

Community involvement and co-production will support the long-term legacy of advocacy and ownership at a grassroots level. You should seek to increase the legacy of the project by building in opportunities for the working group, participants and audiences to benefit from participating in new experiences, learning skills and making new connections.

Learning and skills development may emerge through being part of the working group and direct participation in creative activity. Opportunities to collaborate with artists can be inspirational, enhancing aspirations in other aspects of our lives. Developing connections and friendships can increase confidence, improve mental wellbeing and help to tackle loneliness.

In addition, opportunities for artists' peer learning can be embedded through invitations to present at existing networking events or exhibiting research and design development at public events e.g., Artwalk Wakefield.

THANK YOU

A huge thank you to everyone who took the time to share their views and ideas in support of developing this guide.

Mural by Rob Lee at Production Park South Kirkby 2022