The pan-London MyMural project launches in Acton this week with a beautiful painting by artist Leonard Lesic.

The London Mayors Office is supporting the project, its methodology and aspirations.  Adam Cooper from the Culture and Creative Industries Unit, Greater London Authority stated:  “MyMural is a great initiative that is bringing a fantastic new piece of art to Acton. The mural at Berrymede School will hopefully inspire a next generation of young artist."

MyMural inspires, enables and normalizes the possibilities for new artworks among everyday settings. Thanks to support from Cockayne – Grants for the Arts (London Community Foundation), GLA Mayors Office and a Charity Auction donation from Stik, we are very pleased to announce that MyMural is launching in Acton. This pilot contributes to an important sea change in the way artists work with residents in the city.

Marcus Willcocks and Prof. Lorraine Gamman, partners from University of the Arts London explained:  “MyMural is a new scheme that pairs street artists with communities who want to integrate more art, creativity and colour into their neighourhoods. Leonard Lesic’s work creatively responds to topics discussed as important among the community at Berrymede Infant School. As well as providing the ‘canvas’, the school community helped curate the opportunity and agree the artist, in collaboration with Rachel Pepper and team at Artification, Mark Clack at Wood Street Walls, and the DAC/MyMural team at Central Saint Martins. We are so grateful to support from the GLA, the London Community Foundation and artist, Stik, for their confidence in MyMural. Through collective effort the project working to bring artists and neighbourhood communities together more easily, to curate our streets less as ‘developed’ places and more as living, breathing,
creative places.”

MyMural brings together internationally experienced collaborators from arts facilitation, practice-led academic research and engagements, together with regional and local authorities and a world-renowned street art practitioner to bring new opportunities for high-quality artworks to happen in new contexts in London.

The Mayor of London has highlighted culture as one of his key priorities. He is committed to ensuring that London retains its status as the world’s leading capital city for culture and creativity and ensuring more Londoners access arts and culture. A key feature of London’s Cultural Infrastructure Plan is to give outstanding artists opportunities to make exciting new work, encourage Londoners to get more involved in creative activities, as well as cultivate London’s creative value by opening access to the use of spaces as open galleries.

MyMural began by meeting and speaking with residents about the kind of imagery and art they would like to see in their neighbourhood.  The resulting Artist Opportunity was based on these aspirations.  It was shared and artists responded to the brief. We received numerous artist submissions which residents viewed and voted for. The MyMural team invited the shortlisted artists to develop their site specific design.  Artist Leonard Lesic was selected. 

Leonard painted a beautiful piece on the wall of a nearby,  now demolished, block in 2013. We are very pleased that he returns to South Acton to create this new public art for Acton in 2019.

"ARTification has been bringing art to the streets since 2005.  A bridge between artists and residents, we have created 20+ pieces of street art in the public realm including the tallest in the UK by Stik and Thierry Noir. We are very pleased that MyMural is creating the latest piece to take art to the streets." Dr Rachel Pepper (ARTification Director)

Feedback from Berrymede Infants School about the painting:
“This MyMural community project is a great way of bringing  art and pleasure to everyone in the Acton area”  Mrs Ohene  (Head teacher)

"Having a wall that is colourful which will attract the children's eye at playtime and give them many opportunities to have discussions about the things on the painting is an excellent way to engage children.”  Fahmida (Parent Governor)

“The mural captures the idea that  working hard at school will give you the  freedom to go anywhere you want.”   Mrs Shawe (Parent support adviser).

Leonard Lesic, the Artist commented:
"I am very excited to be painting in Acton again after six years. The first time on Charles Hocking House was a great time, and I have a lot of nice memories. The idea of painting at Berrymede school is wonderful, and the mural will have positive message looking into future.''

Leonard responded imaginatively to the brief, and we are very pleased to see a new and inspirational mural in Acton. 

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MyMural is an initiative between Stik, Central Saint Martins, Artification, Wood Street Walls and the Greater London Authority. It is a new pilot scheme working with artists and residents, to enable fantastic artworks on shared residential and community buildings across London.

ARTification is an Acton-based charity that celebrates art, culture, community.