The ‘We are Nottingham’ artwork was a collaborative creation, with our local Community Rail Partnership’s (the Robin Hood Line and the Poacher Line), the Railway Children, Base 51 – a local youth centre in Nottingham and Imageskool.
The project was jointly funded by East Midlands Railway, Cross Country Trains and Community Rail Network and was placed under the tram bridge, with kind permission from Net Trams and Nottingham City Council.
The concept chosen reflects the journey from child to adulthood, and how train journeys can help shape future generations. The artwork depicts famous landmarks across Nottingham and beyond, including, Skegness, Wollaton Hall, Creswell Crags and Heckington Mill, with a heritage nod to Nottingham and Robin Hood, with the colours.
The young people from Base 51, helped shape the artwork with Imageskool, at a brainstorming session earlier this year which gave insight from a young person’s perspective, but also made them feel valued that they were contributing to a lasting piece of art.
The artwork was completed across the course of a week in November 2023, with the young people turning their hand to spray painting, under the instruction of the Imageskool team, with a grand unveiling taking place to celebrate the new piece of art at the end of the week.
To find out more about the organisations involved and the places you can visit please explore the following: