Mumbles Skatepark Gets Colourful Makeover in Community Art Project

Around 40 volunteers, skatepark users and local council staff have painted two large murals at Mumbles Skatepark as part of a community art initiative celebrating inclusion and belonging.

The project, led by Swansea University's Flip the Streets programme, brought together park users, their friends and relatives, and local PCSOs to create brightly coloured designs inspired by the skatepark community itself.

Participants attended creative workshops where they discussed what the skatepark meant to them and explored ways to represent its welcoming culture through art. Their ideas were developed into two murals by Fresh Creative CIC: one featuring a submarine, reflecting the coastal setting, and another depicting a customised spray can suggested by a user. Skateboards and scooters were included to represent the diverse range of people who use the facility.

Professor Lella Nouri from Swansea University's School of Social Sciences said the murals celebrate the creativity and sense of belonging already present within the skatepark community.

Flip the Streets, launched in 2023, works with young people to create collaborative artworks in public spaces. An exhibition showcasing work from previous projects will run at Volcano Theatre on Swansea High Street from 17 to 24 July.