Art of community! Finsbury Arts Festival-goers get creative to help create innovative collage of street

Published: 5 March 2010
By PETER GRUNER

RESIDENTS were invited to roll up their sleeves and get messy to kick off the Finsbury Arts Festival on Friday, writes Josie Hinton.

Visitors to the Whitecross Street Market made their mark on a giant 8ft x 8ft canvas, erected by RART, a group of young artists.

The aim was to build a collaborative image of the street, using not only traditional paint but also typical materials from the market, from flyers, flowers and scraps of fabric, to cabbage leaves and coffee cups.  

Among those enjoying the occasion were Leah Fuaverick, Shannon Benson-Wills and Abigail Long, from the Golden Lane Children’s Centre.

Ita Maude Wooller, 27, of RART, said: “It’s great to see street residents and regulars pausing and engaging with their surroundings.” 

The art theme continued in the afternoon with a parade led by Mayor of Islington Anna Berent, with banners created by children from St Luke’s Primary School.