THE first in a series of new, bright and cheerful public art murals across Skipton has been unveiled by youth-led community group Fresh Perspective.

The mural on the side of Craven Arts House in Otley Street marks the start of ‘community in colour’ - a high street regeneration project which aims to bring the history of Skipton alive through art and colour.

At the end of last year, Craven District Council was awarded £95,000 to deliver a cultural programme as part of the Skipton High Street Heritage Action Zone (HSHAZ).

It is part of a £7.4 million national fund for cultural activities designed to engage communities with their high streets and celebrate the role and importance of these historic areas as hubs of the community.

Fresh Perspective is working with the heritage action zone team to install a series of murals to tell the story of the streets and buildings of Skipton.

They also plan to make darker places, such as the town’s ginnels, feel safer to walk through, especially at night.

Beth Sculpher from Fresh Perspective, said: “I think this is a really great opportunity for Skipton to show off its history in a fun and engaging way whilst brightening dull areas and creating safer spaces for people to walk through.

“Working with Skipton HSHAZ allows us to preserve the history of the town and tell each building’s story whilst also bringing public art to Skipton and showing other young creatives that it is possible to get yourself out there.”

Work on the other planned murals will begin later this month with plans to continue the project for another three years up to March 2024.

The Fresh Perspective group is now looking for other young artists who are just starting out or who are still in school or college.

They should be interested in attending mural workshops delivered by professional public art artists, leading to paid work helping to install the future murals.

The ‘community in colour’ project is one of several projects that make up the Skipton Cultural Programme.

Local heritage and cultural groups have come together to create an exciting cultural programme which offers opportunities for the local community to engage in new ways with Skipton’s rich heritage and support the main Skipton HSHAZ scheme.

Skipton HSHAZ was awarded £95,360 from Historic England in February to deliver the Cultural Programme, which lasts until March 2024.

The programme includes a new Skipton trails app, a virtual reality app, Soundtrack to Skipton sound map, Craven Music Match and ‘Watch This Space’ where we will be developing a network of spaces in Skipton that will be available to support community groups deliver creative activities including evening events, clubs and performances.

Future events will be published through social media including Skipton Town Hall website: www.skiptontownhall.co.uk.

The High Streets Heritage Action Zone’s Cultural Programme is part of the national £95 million High Streets Heritage Action Zone initiative, which is currently working across more than 60 English high streets.

It is funded by £40 million from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport’s Heritage High Street Fund, £52 million from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government’s Future High Streets Fund, and a further £3 million from the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

One of the major aims of the national programme is to help people feel proud of where they live.

Historic England is leading the Cultural Programme in partnership with Arts Council England and the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

The Skipton mural follows another mural painted in Settle town centre earlier this year.

The mural, on the side of a three-storey building in Kirkgate, features four giant words -’ soar’, ‘wandering’, ‘rise’ and ‘rolling’ - chosen by 14 to 19 year olds as part of the creative programme, The FOLD.

The FOLD, led by Deco Publique and commissioned by Great Place: Lakes and Dales, was designed to give young people a voice by creatively empowering decision making in their own areas.

It coincided with a report by North Yorkshire’s Rural Commission which highlights the challenges faced by the young people and the boost to North Yorkshire’s economy that the ‘missing generation’ could bring.

If you are a young artist interested in finding out more about the community murals scheme in Skipton, email beth@freshperspective.org.uk.

If you would like to get involved with the Skipton Cultural Programme or learn more, contact Debbie Cross on dcross@cravendc.gov.uk.