New Byker community artwork allows youth groups to show love for their area
A new piece of street art has appeared on the side of a building in the heart of Byker, portraying what Byker means to the local community.
Co-created by young people living on the estate and local street artist MarkOne87, the artwork stands proud on the gable end of the Northern Stage building on Brinkburn Street.
Delivered over the last six months in collaboration with specialist youth service Foundation Futures, the project has also given young Byker residents a creative outlet to express what the estate means to them.
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Georgia Bates, Youth Learning and Community Specialist at Foundation Futures, shared, "Byker isn’t just a place, it’s a community, made up of good people who look out for each other and care.
“That’s the real Byker, and that’s what this artwork is all about. It represents both the people who shaped this community and what it means to grow up here today. Byker has a past to be proud of and a future to believe in.
"A massive thank you to MarkOne87, who’s been brilliant from start to finish. He didn’t just show up and paint something for them, from day one they’ve been involved.
“He listened, he made space for their stories, creativity and pride for the area and turned those ideas into something powerful, something that truly reflects them and this place. A big thank you to Karbon Homes and Historic England, for backing this project and believing in our young people.”
The artwork is part of a project facilitated by Karbon Homes and funded by Historic England, designed to showcase the social history of the estate.
Victoria Keen, Karbon Homes’ Place Lead, added: “It’s great to see the final artwork on display, which recognises the history of Byker through street art and the young, local artists who helped create it.
“It’s a fantastic representation of the Byker community. The project plays an integral role in our Thriving Byker Strategy to increase a sense of pride in the estate and bring to life its unique heritage.”
The £14,650 project started with a series of educational art workshops for the young residents, delivered by community partners at the Farrell Centre at Newcastle University and Northern Cultural Projects CIC and exploring the past and present of the estate’s design.
Following this, the children took part in seven sessions with local graffiti artist and ELEMENTS festival lead artist MarkOne87, using what they had learnt in the workshops to develop concepts for the public art.