Street Artists brightening up Baxter Park

The Scarborough duo are working with Doncaster Creates and AOP Projects on their first major paint project in the north of England.  This follows exhibitions in Asia and the U.S as well as a high profile presence on the London street art scene.

The project, that is part of an initiative to breathe fresh life into Baxter Park, has seen the creative pair undertake phase one of an ambitious scheme, starting with an end gable paint which forms part of a wider scheme next year, devised through engagement sessions with the public including local school children, about how best to uplift this park and imagery.

Mike Stubbs from Doncaster Creates, said: “We are thrilled to welcome Static to Doncaster and to be able to support this project that will enhance the park area with the local community, in collaboration with Doncaster Green Spaces and Community Streets Team.

In this first phase Static will deliver a bold mural to the gable end within Baxter Park.  The project will finish next spring when the artists complete a colourful horizontal floor mural, Other parts of the initiation plan include a re-landscaping of the park to include rebedding and redesign of the play area, as well as new seating equipment designed by local artist and sculptor Lewis Morgan”. 

Static’s studio work is created using a combination of screen printed and stencil/spray painted techniques. Recently, Static have painted large scale murals all over London and they also joined the artistic protest in Bethlehem, ignited by the opening of the Banksy hotel, where they painted their signature Chinook Chandelier which has become a symbolic motif of their work and can be found around the world. 

Static are the founders of one of the largest community street art projects in the UK called Wood Street Walls, which uses street art to drive awareness & funding for community schemes and projects involving children and education. 

The gable end mural will be the first of a few paints in development for Doncaster as part of Doncaster Re-mix, an arts program with a focus on arts in urban environments funded by Arts Council England, DCLT and Doncaster Borough Council as part of Doncaster Creates program and in partnership with South Yorkshire Housing Association.

Static Artists Craig and Tom, said: “We’re really pleased to be part of this project with Doncaster Creates, There’s sometimes scepticism about how much 'painting a wall' can change things - but once people see it being done and people (artists like us) giving their time to do something, the majority of people respond positively. We’ve been working towards this project for over a year, and to finally be here and to see the way local residents are responding, particularly in the wake of Covid and the restrictions on where people can go, feels rewarding, with people in an area that otherwise seem to feel overlooked.”

Doncaster Creates, a dynamic arts programme beginning in 2020, will reveal and nurture the creativity that Doncaster has and can host – developing future ideas, talent, skills, new audiences and participants. People from all backgrounds will experience world class arts that they will remember and act upon: people re-imagining - regeneration through great art.

Doncaster Creates is led by Juliet Farrar, executive director and Mike Stubbs, creative director, and is part of Doncaster Culture and Leisure Trust which provides culture, leisure and sports provision on behalf of Doncaster Council in the borough.

To find out more about Doncaster Creates visit www.doncastercreates.org