Abergavenny Town Council was delighted to attend the unveiling of a new community mural created by Year 5 pupils from Cantref Primary School, marking the successful completion of a project that has seen young people lead the creative process from concept to completion.
Mayor Councillor Bryony Nicholson and Councillor Philip Bowyer joined pupils, staff and project partners for the unveiling and a special school assembly celebrating the completion of the artwork.
The mural, which features a dragon filled with individual illustrations created by the pupils, explores themes of Wales, home and belonging. Each child contributed their own design, reflecting what these themes mean to them personally, before helping to bring the artwork to life using spray-painting techniques developed through a series of workshops.
The project began earlier this year when the Year 5 class presented their vision for the mural during a whole-school assembly. Working alongside local artist Danielle Farrington, the pupils developed the concept, pitched for funding, identified a suitable location, sought permissions and learned the skills required to create a large-scale public artwork.
Abergavenny Town Council supported the project with a £1,000 contribution from former Mayor Councillor Philip Bowyer’s community fundraising fund, alongside £380 from Abergavenny Civic Society and additional community support, which helped the project reach its funding target.
Mayor Councillor Bryony Nicholson said:
“It was wonderful to see the finished mural and to hear directly from the pupils about their experience. The artwork is a fantastic celebration of creativity, community and identity, but what is equally impressive is the journey the children have taken to make it happen. They should be incredibly proud of what they have achieved.”
Councillor Philip Bowyer added:
“Supporting projects that inspire and engage young people has been an important part of my time as Mayor, so it was particularly rewarding to see this mural completed. The pupils have shown great imagination, commitment and teamwork throughout the project, and the finished artwork is something the whole community can enjoy.”
The Town Council would also like to thank Danielle Farrington for leading the workshops and supporting the pupils throughout the project, Abergavenny Civic Society for its contribution, Cantref Primary School for embracing the initiative and Abergavenny Town FC for providing the wall space.
The completed mural now stands as a lasting reminder of the creativity and community spirit of Abergavenny’s young people, creating a vibrant piece of public art that can be enjoyed by residents and visitors alike.
