New East End community street art hopes to show "sense of pride in living in Byker"

Eight vibrant, street art murals portraying what Byker means to the local community are hanging proud on the side of the Northern Stage youth project building on Brinkburn Steet, thanks to a partnership between Karbon Homes and Elements: Street Art Festival.

Co-created with young people living on the estate, collectively the murals illustrate the diversity of the Byker community.

Michelle Bell, Assistant Director of Byker Community for Karbon Homes, said:“We’re very proud to see this brilliant street art exhibition on display in the heart of Byker, perfectly portraying what a vibrant, community focused and proud place Byker is. 

“It’s been fantastic forging links with our local creative industries to provide this opportunity for our young people to express what home and the estate means to them. I hope it’ll make people walking by smile, and for those who live here I hope it gives them a sense of pride in living in Byker.”

The artwork, which replaces the ground floor window covers of the Northern Stage building, was created by local artist Mark Shields, with help from the young people on the estate. 

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Working with specialist youth service Foundation Futures and Byker Primary School, Mark ran workshops with the kids to develop ideas and ensure the artwork portrayed the community through their eyes.

Mark said: “It’s brilliant to see the finished artwork up on display and the young people so excited and proud of what they’ve achieved. They were really engaged with the project from the start and had so many ideas on what they wanted to say through the art.

“I was amazed by their positive and community spirit, and I feel very privileged to have been able to help them tell their story of living on the estate.”