A mural shaped by young people
Working with Derby City Council and the young people attending the Mickleover Community Pavilion Youth Session, this mural project brought young people together to share ideas, explore what matters to them and help shape the artwork for their local sports courts.
Through a collaborative brainstorming session, we explored two themes: GOALS and GYM / MOVEMENT. We talked about what goals mean beyond sport, from scoring on the pitch to achieving personal ambitions and dreaming about the future. We also explored how movement makes us feel, sharing ideas around strength, energy, confidence, teamwork and the importance of practice.
From ideas to artwork
The discussions inspired two key creative directions: a rainbow goal, celebrating sport, colour and bringing people together, and positive messages to encourage confidence, motivation and ambition. These ideas helped transform the young people's thoughts into a colourful, welcoming mural that reflects the energy of the youth community and the many ways sport and movement can make a positive difference.
Representation and belonging
Feedback from a group of teenagers highlighted how much they appreciated seeing different cultures represented in the artwork. This was an important reminder of the value of creating public art that feels inclusive and reflects the diversity of the people who use the space.
The project demonstrates how involving young people in the creative process can help make public spaces feel more personal, positive and connected to their community. By bringing their ideas, experiences and perspectives into the design, the mural celebrates not only sport and movement, but also confidence, diversity, aspiration and belonging.
