Thamesmead Mural by Sophia Connell in Ascot Vale

Public art is an opportunity to animate shared space. To channel ideas and experiences from local communities into imagery and to celebrate the ephemeral colours, shapes, and stories of place. I studied at the London School of Muralism, Goldsmiths University in 2021 where I was formally trained in community outreach, risk assessments, design development and execution. I have collaborated on eight public murals, with a strong focus on community engagement and cocreation. I find this process very rewarding, as lived experiences and histories become embedded in the urban fabric. I have continued support from the London School of Muralism. I also studied Geography at the University of Manchester with an interest in decolonising geographies and practices, activism, access to public space, and human’s engagement with the natural world. These themes influence my art and how I engage with Naarm/Melbourne.