Save our Furure Mural

the Save Our Future mural, now on display at Skates on Newport Quay. This striking artwork is a

testament to the creativity, commitment, and environmental consciousness of the young artists.

The mural’s design is both graphic and evocative, using a deliberately limited colour palette to

capture the many shades of the sea while enhancing its visual impact. The mural juxtaposes the

ideal of a pristine, healthy ocean with a depiction of a polluted environment, highlighting the

devastating effects of plastic pollution on marine life. A key feature is the innovative wire fish

sculptures—powerful symbols of the waste that plagues our oceans. Crafted during dedicated

wirework sessions, these sculptures contrast sharply with the vibrant, healthy ocean scene,

reinforcing the urgent need to protect our environment.

Named by the young artists themselves, Save Our Future represents their passion for

environmental change. The project began with brainstorming sessions and mind maps, where

the group chose to champion the cause of cleaner oceans. After exploring murals across

Newport and voting on their mural’s form, they decided on a painting/sculpture hybrid. Their

sketches were digitised, projected onto plywood for scaling, and developed into a cohesive

colour scheme. The group also experimented with sculptures made from donated beach waste,

inspired by the giant wire fish waste bin on Brighton Beach.

Evie Clarke, who runs the Arts Lab project, shared her enthusiasm:

Richard Quigley MP also praised the initiative, stating:

Arts Lab is a creative experimentation group for young people aged 11–16, exploring youth-led

social action through art. In addition to their annual exhibition and community

projects—including contributions to local events like the carnival—Arts Lab is now working

towards their next exhibition in May 2025. Continuing the Save Our Future theme, this exhibition

will address issues such as homelessness, wildlife preservation, endangered species, and

challenges posed by social media and cyberbullying.

Sessions run every Thursday from 4:30 to 6:00 pm at Independent Arts’ Creative Hub, including

during school holidays. Young people interested in joining can contact

info@independentarts.org.uk.

Independent Arts received £9,943 from the SNG #iwill Fund to upskill young people to become

Wellbeing Champions by facilitating the space for them to improve their own mental health and

wellbeing, as well as others, through collaboratively making artwork that creates natural

conversations and discussions around mental health, wellbeing and youth social action.

The young people led on 5 creative youth social action projects that aimed to make changes in

their local community, including creating this ‘Save Our Future’ mural.

A Heartfelt Thank You

This project would not have been possible without the collective effort of so many:

● Young Artists: Billie, Jaime, Oliver, Evie D, Devon, Lula, Ellie, Elizabeth, Iona, Rebecca,

Rosie P

● Funding: Sovereign Network Group #iwill Fund – for their generous support in funding

the project, kickstarting our youth social action movement, and providing a

photographer to document the journey. The funding partners The National Lottery

Community Fund, DCMS and the #iwill Movement.

● Material Donations: Jewsons (Plywood) | Utilita (Beach waste materials)

● Support & Infrastructure: MG Scaffolding (Scaffolding) | Nick Joyce, GRWN Group

(plywood delivery)

● Project Team: Jo Rigby, Kerry Weston, Ralph Ridler, Matt Hitt, Evie Clarke

● Volunteer: Bella Cuoghi-Smith

● A special thank you to Mark and the team at Skates for not only hosting the mural but

also helping to install it and for providing the perfect venue for the launch event. Skates

is a fantastic roller rink on Newport Quay, available for bookings and events—providing a

great space for the local community.