Colour in Romford

An Open Air Gallery

CLIENT

Greater London Authority

Colour in Romford was launched in 2015 as a creative yet direct response to the negative perception of Romford town centre.

The landscape of the town was repeatedly described as grey, dull and uninspiring, offered no support to the local arts community and lacked distinctive way finding. In order to overcome these issues the solution had to be bold, brave and break new ground. The answer wasn’t about small gestures, it was about high impact outcomes. Maybe, just maybe, street art could be the answer.

Funded by the Mayor of London and community crowdfunding, Colour in Romford positioned the community at the heart of the project from the very outset.

A ‘Fancy yourself as the next Banksy’ competition invited local residents to submit their own designs to be adorned on the walls of the town, with a panel of local business owners, councillors, and residents selecting the winning entries. The first round of murals, including ‘Loughros Point Revisited’ by Saatchi Prize winner and local College tutor Chris Stevens, saw Romford launch its very own open air gallery.

Following its initial success, Colour in Romford attracted further funding to bring internationally renowned artists to town. Ben Eine, music legends Underworld and Amnesty International joined the town-wide effort, collaborating with local students to design and create yet more show-stopping murals.

With overwhelming community support, Colour in Romford is still going strong 8 years on, having made the town a destination for street art lovers and a reflection of its creative, engaging community.

With a commitment to measurable impact, 50 Fenchurch is poised to set new standards in social value within the City, making a lasting, positive difference in the community.