Walcot Road Utility Cabinet

This piece of public art is part of the Clean up, Colour up community improvement project. Led by Andrew Reeves of Market Harborough Wombles, the Clean up, Colour up crew have worked with the community to identify unloved and overlooked corners of the town in need of a serious glow up. Following a competition for Welland Park Academy students to submit their ideas for designs, three bold colourful artworks were chosen by the judging panel to be transferred onto cabinets in town. The artworks demonstrate a strong connection to our town, touching on heritage and environmental awareness and inject joyful bursts of colour to the town.

We thank Virgin Media, Harborough District Council, Market Harborough and The Bowdens Charity and The Rotary Club for permissions and funding as well as the sponsorship from PaintWell and the artists who brought the students' designs to life; JJ Barrs Art, Kayleigh Smith Creative and The Paint Pottle.

Quote from Amber:

“My Aunt and Uncle live on a narrowboat, and I always loved the paintings on the boats when I’d visit them and when I'd walk around Foxton locks and the Union Wharf,  I had a great time trying the canal art style in primary school and I wanted to capture that again. Incorporating the old grammar school brings it back home to the most famous part of Market Harborough.”

“I've always loved art, no matter what skill level I’ve been at because if I have an idea I’ll make it just how it is in my head and express it. I can make it myself and show it off, but mainly because it shows my interests and I love spending time on all sorts of creative projects, it's an outlet for what I want people to see about me.”

“It's a big thing for me, actually seeing the art day to day is brill and knowing that the community you're growing up in can see it too makes me happy. I'm glad that I could add to the streets of Market Harborough, representing a part of the town and its history.”