Jack Arts

A home from home on Old Kent Road

In the latest instalment of our ongoing Under the Bridge project in partnership with Southwark Council, the dedicated arts boards formed part of celebrations to reveal a new mural on the Old Kent Road bridge, inspired by the local community.  The arts boards were initially installed to provide a pubic platform to creatively engage the local communities in the regeneration plans –  the new mural marks the first stage of an exciting future of development of the area.

The new mural, developed with Lawless Studios and local school children, features spaces and buildings on Old Kent Road represented as vibrant fruit-label motifs; the labels depict places of worship, restaurants and community halls, a reminder of the rich cultural diversity of the area. The new bridge design aims to help to connect people and give a sense of the area being ‘a home from home’ for its inhabitants.  Our 10 in a row dedicated arts panels situated below the bridge, that show a rotating display of community arts initiative throughout the year, were transformed to highlight the key achievements and stakeholders in the bridge’s vibrant regeneration.  Paired with our large 48 sheet billboard on the opposite side of the road, the poster spaces provided a natural extension of the mural and backdropped the launch activities.   The celebratory event was a moment of joy and togetherness, with residents, council representatives, school children and businesses gathering to see themselves represented across the newly transformed bridge – a homage to the  exciting communities that call the Old Kent Road home.