Arts & Kids, London Underground’s Platform for Art and Create have been working in partnership with Allen Edwards Primary School to create a mural Celebrating Stockwell.
The children from the Stockwell school developed ideas with visual artist Raksha Patel to explore the community in which they live and create a mural for Stockwell Underground Station that was installed to coincide with the local Stockwell Festival (9 July 2005).
The project is part of a comprehensive education programme developed by London Underground to invest in local communities across London. Inspired by themes of the local neighbourhood and starring Stockwell Festival’s own mascot, Lady Pineapple, the mural will brighten up the entrance to the station.
The children were inspired by seeing local landmarks and exploring the stories that brought the history of Stockwell to life. One of the brightest stories was of the 17th-century botanist John Tradescant, a local man who brought the first pineapple into England and is now celebrated in Stockwell with a road named after him and commemorative pineapples on either end of Lambeth Bridge.
Rebecca Eastmond, Director of Arts & Kids, said: “Our President, HRH The Prince of Wales launched The Arts & Kids Challenge to bring the brightest and best of the arts alive for one million children across the UK. Since then, the Arts & Kids Challenge has captured the imagination in ways that we could never have foreseen and we are delighted to have touched the lives of over 550,000 children. I am pleased that by working alongside businesses like London Underground artists can continue to inspire children to create this relevant and colourful work. I firmly believe that the more we can convince the private sector of the power of the arts, the more children will benefit and in turn the whole of society will become richer.”
“London Underground’s commitment to working with local communities is incredibly strong. To celebrate the talents of these fine students through Arts & Kids as a feature of the Stockwell Festival is not only a pleasure, but a great privilege”, Platform For Art’s Creative Communities producer Sara-Ellen Williams added.
Create’s Creative Director, Samantha Lodge, commented: “Celebrating Stockwell has enabled the children to consider their environment in a creative way. The final artwork will be displayed at Stockwell Underground Station for four months and will ensure that the young people feel pride in their achievements.”
