The Get on the Mural project is a collaboration between the Walk’n’Craft group, St John’s Community Centre and artist Rose Croft. Mildenhall’s ‘Walk’n’Craft’ group (a previous MarketPlace project) wanted to work on a mural on the walls of St John’s Community Centre; and the Get On the Mural project was born.
Working with the centre manager Luke Stokes, the group wanted the mural to celebrate the people of St John’s estate. They invited the community to nominate local people and share the stories behind the nominations. A special launch event was organised at the community centre in September, where people gathered to share their stories.
More than 30 stories of local people, both past and present, were submitted for consideration. The ‘Walk’n’Craft’ group and the community centre committee carefully selected who would be represented on the mural. Those not included had their images transformed into stickers and pasted on the metal fence.
MarketPlace commissioned artist Rose Croft to lead this project. Rose collaborated with the group to design the mural, which she painted onto the outside of the building.
On October 27, the grand unveiling of the mural attracted an enthusiastic crowd. The event also showcased a storybook, compiled by The Walk’n’Craft group to accompany the project, in which all nominees were featured.
Feedback from the project was very positive with many people saying it was “just like the old days”.
The St John’s Get on the Mural Project is in partnership with Keystone Trust.
Louise Eatock, Creative Producer, Forest Heath