Street art continues to stun local residents

Vibrant artwork graces the walls of the subway on Brackla Way, illustrating themes of nature and wildlife, in addition to a Welsh mythical beast and fairy.

The work follows recent street art completed at Maesteg bus station – transforming an ordinary space into the extraordinary.  The images hint at the rich history of the town, displaying a miner, as well as symbols of the Mari Lwyd tradition – a centuries old New Year’s Eve custom which continues in Llangynwyd, one of the only places in South Wales still to uphold the tradition.

Ryan Davies, from Another Day Another Spray, said: “Each community is different and has a different history and features, which are important when producing initial ideas.  Sometimes we just choose something to brighten the area, whilst always trying to incorporate something local – that could include a school or sport team emblem.”

Funded by the ‘Safer Streets’ Home Office grant, the aim of the street art projects is to replace hateful and offensive graffiti with welcoming and positive images that reflect the true warmth of the community. 

In response to the artwork at the bus station, local Maesteg resident, Hayley Phipps, said: “The artwork is truly amazing.  It definitely uplifts the space and generates a positive feeling about the area, bringing a smile to faces here.”

Ryan continues: “It is without a doubt one of the greatest feelings to see and hear the reaction from the public, especially as the art is turning from its initial sketches on the wall to the finished piece – we love seeing the surprise and joy of the public at how it eventually turns out.

“It’s a pleasure to chat with locals when producing the art and to hear their encouraging responses to it.  Sometimes we don’t realise the positive effect it has on communities until we speak to the public and read social media – we are often blown away by the reaction, it’s a wonderful and humbling experience.”

Councillor Neelo Farr, Bridgend County Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Community Safety and Wellbeing said: “The street art projects across the county borough aim to visually improve the areas where people live, work and visit, as well as increase residents’ feelings of safety in public spaces.

“The work of Another Day Another Spray and Thew Creative has been a talking point across all of our local communities and it is wonderful to see how the artwork has positively influenced them. We are very proud of the impact that these projects are having!”

(Lead image: Bridgend County Borough Council)