Murals can be painted on walls, panels and boards to brighten playcentres, community centres, youth clubs, empty commercial premises and sites under development. Involve community artists, art colleges or local arts groups, who will have many skills and ideas. For schools and youth groups, younger children can create their own designs on paper, which are then interpreted and outlined on the wall by an artist, for the children to help paint. Older children can do the entire process. Free paint may be obtainable from the schemes listed below. Scrap sheet materials such as chipboard or shuttering plywood may be available locally from development sites, and even if damaged and superficially scruffy, can produce wonderful textural effects when painted. Other scrap materials can be incorporated for 3D designs.
Accra Centre, Brixton
At the Accra Centre for the Advancement of Young People, Brixton, the children were involved in painting murals on an environmental theme as part of European Nature Conservation Year. The children drew pictures of their favourite animals, from caterpillars to zebras, and two environmental artists transferred them to mural form on the walls of the playground and nursery play area. Children from all classes at Hillmead Primary School then helped paint the designs, resulting in a much brighter and more interesting playground.
