A Norwich collective of artists will create six large-scale public art mural paintings based on drawings of users of venues including a children’s centre and a foodbank.

The Great Dandy Mural Project evolved from Norwich Dandies’ co-director,
Eloise O’Hare, setting up Eloise’s Isolation Art School on Facebook during the first
lockdown last April.

Aimed at showing how things found at home can be used for art projects one of the most popular concepts was to paint on windows with water-based paints that could be washed off afterwards.

Norwich Evening News: Huge mural created on windows of Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital for organ donation week.Huge mural created on windows of Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital for organ donation week. (Image: Norwich Dandies)

Eloise and her Dandy co-founders Christina Sabberton and Dugald Ferguson were subsequently commissioned to paint windows for Sinsins Love Boutique in St Benedict’s Street to support Norwich Pride, and the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital for organ donation week.

Now running until September, their latest project is more ambitious still.

“We received so much lovely feedback from the hospital staff and passers-by that we wanted to put together a larger mural painting tour that could benefit some of the local communities that have been hardest hit by this dreadful pandemic,” said Eloise.

Norwich Evening News: The Great Dandy Mural Project evolved from Norwich Dandies’ co-director Eloise O’Hare's lockdown project.The Great Dandy Mural Project evolved from Norwich Dandies’ co-director Eloise O’Hare's lockdown project. (Image: Norwich Dandies)

“Whilst we will be painting the murals, the design has been influenced by the organisation’s service users.

“We think this is important, as we will be painting the murals as a permanent feature on one or more walls of each organisation’s building.

Norwich Evening News: Mural created on windows of Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital has inspired project to create six large murals at venues across Norwich.Mural created on windows of Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital has inspired project to create six large murals at venues across Norwich. (Image: Norwich Dandies)

“We are asking each partner to come up with a theme and for everyone to draw a picture that will be included in the mural.”

The mural painting tour’s first stop will be Hamlet Children’s Centre from April 19 to 21 where its young users have chosen the theme of ‘musical meadows’.

The second venue to be painted will be Silver Road Community Centre and Foodbank, starting the week of May 24.

Norwich Evening News: Detail from mural created on windows of Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital.Detail from mural created on windows of Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital. (Image: Norwich Dandies)

The Dandies have delivered 220 packs of pens and paper for the foodbank volunteers to give out to the families who want to be involved.

The art collective, which formed in 2010 and has created projects, workshops, festivals and exhibitions with local communities, has been awarded funding for their mural project from Arts Council England and the Co-op’s Local Communities Fund.

Norwich Evening News: Mural created in window of Sinsins shop by Norwich Dandies art collective.Mural created in window of Sinsins shop by Norwich Dandies art collective. (Image: Helen Shepard)