Thirroul street art launched

Youth celebrate the completion of the Thirroul mural project.

STUDENTS from St Michael’s Catholic Primary School, as well as young people from Thirroul Neighbourhood Centre and Wollongong Youth Services celebrated the official launch of the Thirroul Street Art Project today.

The project saw the students and young people working with seven local artists over four months to create a mural on Wollongong City Council’s amenities block on Lawrence Hargrave Drive in the Thirroul Plaza. The artists involved were both ceramic and mural artists.

Wollongong Lord Mayor Gordon Bradbery said the project has turned

an area often targeted by graffiti artists into a bright and colourful display.

“I applaud the students, young people and the artists who collaborated on this terrific project and provided the community with something to be proud of,” he said.

“It’s just another way Council is working to reduce problem graffiti in our community.’’

The colourful mural was themed around the suburb’s history and lifestyle, and was completed in September. It was funded through the Attorney General’s Department for Graffiti prevention projects.

St Michael’s Year 6 student Zac and Ingrid said they found the process of creating the mural a fun and inspiring one.

“Working with (artist) Anita Larkin brought out a lot of our unusual, but creative, imaginative ideas for our painting,’’ they wrote.

“She helped us express our ideas. We also learnt a lot more about our community and its features, characters and landmarks.’’

Council has a hotline for reporting graffiti. The number is (02) 4227 7111 or people can use the ‘Report It’ link off Council’s homepage.