Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Council to explore street art project to help promote civic pride

The motion, tabled by Councillor Jessica Johnston, was worded as follows: “Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council notes the transformative benefits that street art, such as painted utility boxes, can have on communities, including the potential to become tourist attractions or foster a sense of civic pride.

“Council also notes the recent success of painted utility boxes in other council areas, such as Ards and North Down Borough Council and Belfast City Council.

“This council also acknowledges the frustration and concern that graffiti, such as tagging, can cause and the subsequent costs of removal.

“Council notes that it is important to facilitate the creation of local art in a safe, legal, and positive way, which also helps contribute to local regeneration.

“Furthermore, Council notes that such a scheme would be an opportunity to showcase local heritage and engage people of all ages and backgrounds across our borough.

“Therefore, this council agrees to explore the potential of a Street Cabinet Artwork Project including seeking out permissions, funding opportunities and working with local artists, community groups and youth organisations to design any future artwork.”

Outlining her thinking behind her motion, the Alliance representative for Lagan River DEA commented: “This motion is about exploring the potential for this council to set up a Street Cabinet Artwork Project that would bring people of all ages and backgrounds together by working with, for example, community groups and youth organisations in collaboration with local artists, to create artwork that reflects the character and heritage of our borough.

“Street art on utility boxes has proved successful in other council areas in Northern Ireland, namely Ards and North Down Borough Council, who have set this up in the past 18 months with their Creative Cabinets project, and Belfast City Council, who have had this in place since 2019 with their Belfast Canvas project, with around 110 cabinets having been transformed with street art.

“So, there are clearly best practices and learnings that can be adopted by our council.

“Those painted street cabinets have brought a sense of civic pride to these council areas and have transformed and brightened public spaces in their towns while showcasing local heritage.

“It has been driven by local artists working with various community organisations and volunteers through support from their local councils, and I have no doubt that we could replicate this in our ABC area.

“Such a project would help provide opportunities for young people in particular, working in collaboration with local artists to develop their creativity, build confidence and feel a greater connection to their communities.

“We have talked at length in this chamber about graffiti in our streets and the cost to ratepayers of removing it, so we could have the chance to create safe, legal and positive opportunities for people to contribute to local artwork with a scheme like this.

“We already have some examples within our council area, with our own Policing and Community Safety Partnership (PCSP) setting up small-scale local artwork projects for young people to get involved with to help tackle problems of graffiti, and they’ve worked well. So we can definitely take lessons from that.

“As such, I would ask the council to support this motion to explore setting up a Street Cabinet Artwork Project, including exploring potential funding opportunities and seeking permissions from the relevant stakeholders.

“I believe that we have a chance to make our streets more attractive, help celebrate our local identity and heritage through artwork, and give our communities another reason to be proud of their area.”

Speaking in support of Cllr Johnston’s motion, Councillor Joy Ferguson (Alliance, Banbridge DEA) said: “I’m very happy to second Cllr Johnson’s motion to explore the potential of a Street Cabinet Artwork Project.

“The project is applicable to both rural and urban areas and aligns with our community, corporate and place plans to revitalise and enhance creativity across the borough.

“The project will bring added vibrancy and animation to our public spaces, and support artistic partnerships to transform boxes that are currently utilitarian, functional and a little bit boring into a community-led art project that will enhance civic pride.

“The boxes will demonstrate a simple yet innovative approach and become a talking point for visitors and residents as they enjoy our beautiful borough.”

While supportive of Cllr Johnston’s motion, Councillor Liam Mackle (SF, Lurgan DEA) suggested a minor change to it, to allow further discussion on what is being proposed.

He commented: “Just to propose a slight amendment, adding a line to the very end of it to say that a report will be brought to the relevant committee for further consideration by members, because there’s a lot in the motion and I think members need to really think it through.

“There are different areas, town centres and rural areas where it may have different impacts.

“So, while I largely welcome it, there’s a lot more to be teased out in respect of it. I would suggest that officers go away, bring a report back to the relevant committee, and we can have further discussions about it.”

Councillor Thomas O’Hanlon (SDLP, Armagh DEA) echoed that view, commenting: “I’d be happy to second Cllr Mackle’s amendment.

“I’d also be keen to see how communities are consulted in relation to this and would want to see the full process thrashed out as part of any process.

“We’re happy to see this because I don’t believe that every area would necessarily want this type of artwork, but I also understand the Council tried something like this in the past and it didn’t work.

“But I’m happy for that exploratory work to happen and for a paper to be brought back for members’ consideration.”

Alderman Paul Greenfield referred to an arts scheme which has done much to add vibrancy and colour to Banbridge town centre, but which has highlighted a need for proper maintenance of any street artwork.

The DUP representative for Banbridge DEA remarked: “Like others, I’m happy with the changes and amendment. It is about exploring it.

“One note of caution I’d like to put into this is that we don’t go down the road of doing it and then leaving it, because we did get some money and we’ve done some great artwork in Banbridge, but some of it is now starting to look very shabby.

“I think we have to be very careful that this doesn’t become a situation where a group does something and then leaves it. There’s quite a bit of work that needs to go into it. I’m fairly happy that it will come back through committee.

“We got quite a bit of funding, and it was great. Not everyone liked it and not everyone in the town appreciated it, so we have to be careful about that.

“When it was done, it looked great at the time, but we now have fences painted and murals halfway down the main street that, after spending significant amounts of money, look a bit shabby.

“Quite a lot of the artwork is now starting to flake off the sides of buildings. We don’t seem to have any more funding for that, and we just don’t want this sort of thing to start across all the pillar boxes.

“But I think the sentiments of it are good and, if it can be worked out, I’d be fairly supportive of it.”