Paint the Town project hits the home straight

By Jim Dunton - Wed 27 November 2013, 4:00 pm

Twenty-four shops and eight electricity boxes in Barking town centre have now been given arty makeovers as part of the innovative "Paint the Town" project.

As Bold Magazine reported in May, the scheme - paid for with cash from London Mayor Boris Johnson’s Outer London Fund - allowed Barking and Dagenham Council to commission three artists to spruce up some of the town’s shop shutters, signage, and general colour schemes in a bid to boost business.

A further six shops are still scheduled to benefit from a bit of brightening up via some nifty brushwork.

Councillor Cameron Geddes, the borough’s regeneration lead, said that the project was one of many initiatives aimed at increasing economic confidence in the area, among them the creation of Short Blue Place and the Icehouse Quarter.

“We are aiming to create thriving communities, whether it be businesses or residents, it is important that we invest in our town centres, high streets and shopping parades,” he said.

“We want to encourage growth and are doing this through - among other things - unlocking the potential of the borough and its residents, as well as working with our partners on a number developments and initiatives. 

“I am proud of the work these artists have undertaken in order to enliven and brighten up the town centre. 

“It is amazing to see how paint can change people’s perception of the area."

The artists responsible for the work are Zarah Hussain, Luke James, and the We Are Laura collective, made up of Laura Middlehurst and Laura Woolf.

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