Members of community groups inspired to create city centre public art

It has been installed on hoardings around the emerging Y Storfa building at the corner of Oxford Street and Princess Way.

The community participants came from groups such as Swansea Libraries and Swansea Asylum Seekers Support plus the council's services for lifelong learning and for young adults with additional learning needs or learning disability. 

They were assisted over a process of several months by professional South Wales-based artist Natalie Hemingway.

The activity, funded by Y Storfa contractors Kier, was managed by Swansea Council which is developing Y Storfa as a community services hub, including central library. It's due to open this year.

The participants gathered outside Y Storfa to celebrate their work being exhibited for city centre visitors to enjoy.
Council cabinet member Elliott King said: "I'm delighted that such a diverse range of individuals came together to produce this fantastic new public art."

Artist Natalie Hemingway said: "It was a pleasure to work with everybody on this project. They embraced the area's history and learned new skills."

Ian Rees, regional director at Kier Construction, said: "Thank you to the talented volunteer artists. Their work is attracting a lot of positive attention locally and really building on the excitement surrounding this project." 

The artwork's source material included images and maps from the council-managed West Glamorgan Archive Service.

It's part of the Your Store, Your Story project, telling stories of the building - once a British Home Stores (BHS) - and the immediate area. 

Your Store, Your Story is being managed by the council's cultural services team with input from other council teams & community groups.

Funders of Y Storfa include the Welsh Government Transforming Towns programme.

Photo: Members of community groups by their Y Storfa work.