Portsmouth City Council recently completed work on the popular shared path between Aldwell Street and River’s Street to Somerstown Hub, with the artwork adding the final touch to make the area more attractive and pleasant for those using it. The route now features a wider and more open path for people walking, wheeling, cycling, or riding rental e-scooters.
As part of the programme of work Portsmouth Creates supported a mentorship opportunity for a young artist in the city. This initiative paired an emerging artist with an experienced mentor artist, and the opportunity supported them to develop their skills, built confidence, and produce art for public exhibition in a safe and supportive environment.
The new mural is a vibrant addition to the improved walking and cycling route in Southsea and stands as a testament to the power of mentorship. The young artist was guided by a seasoned professional throughout the creative process, learning valuable techniques and gaining insights into the world of public art. This partnership not only helped the artist refine their craft but also instilled a sense of confidence and accomplishment.
The new piece joins other street art in the area, created for Portsmouth’s Look Up festival in September 2023.
As well as the new artwork, the route has also been made safer with enhanced lighting and the introduction of CCTV monitoring, and 25 new trees planted throughout the route helps to create more diverse green spaces which bring nature into the city.
This work marks the completion of the second phase of the city’s East West Active Corridor scheme, aimed at creating safer and more accessible routes for people walking, wheeling, or cycling from the east of Portsea Island to the city centre. It follows work completed in 2023, including improved crossings and a protected cycle lane on Goldsmith Avenue, as well as a new ‘tiger crossing’ on Victoria Road North.
Cllr Steve Pitt, Leader of the Council with a responsibility for culture, said: “It’s fantastic to see this new mural completed to provide the finishing touches to this improved and well-used walking and cycling route in Southsea, and I’m pleased to see the mural join other great pieces of street art in the area.”
Cllr Peter Candlish, Cabinet Member for Transport said: “I’m really pleased to see this great community artwork installed as the last piece of the puzzle for this section of the East West Active Travel route. This makes the new walking and cycling path look more attractive, and the addition of new trees, lighting and CCTV all help make the route safer for everyone.”
Elizabeth Oluyede, the young artist responsible for the design, said ” This opportunity was really special for me as a young creative. A chance to produce a mural and add to the Portsmouth community is an amazing opportunity. This mural is my first commission, and its exciting that it is in such a public place. Working with Neequaye has been enlightening. Painting at such a scale was a challenge, but his mentorship allowed me to understand the process. I had a lot of fun, and I am so proud of the outcome.”
Neequaye Dsane, the experienced mentor artist said ” This was such a fantastic project to have been involved in. Elizabeth worked so hard and got the hang of using spray-paint really quickly. I saw her grow in confidence as the mural developed and it was great to see it be so well received by the local community. We are both really happy with the outcome and I know that she will use much of what she learned in her studies and beyond.”
For more information on the improvements to this walking and cycling route, please visit www.portsmouth.gov.uk/east-west-corridor