University helps create school’s new artwork

A bold new artwork has been unveiled at a city school following a collaboration with the University of Derby.

The mural, situated in the reception at Littleover Community School, was created after the school commissioned the Social Higher Education Depot (S.H.E.D), the university’s first spin-out company, to help turn the building into a welcoming space that reflected the values of the school and wider community.

S.H.E.D. is an initiative delivered by Designing Dialogue CiC, which works with cultural venues and public providers to bridge the gap between the arts and higher education and facilitates creative ways for people to tell their stories.

To create the mural, S.H.E.D ran workshops with students from across the school community, from Year 7 through to Sixth Form, to explore how a mural design could capture the school’s ethos of learning, caring and succeeding.

Dr Rhiannon Jones, associate professor (civic) at the University of Derby and chief executive of S.H.E.D, said: “As a civic university we are committed to working collaboratively with schools to support creative and cultural endeavours and we were thrilled when Littleover Community School reached out.

“Our collaboration reaffirms our ongoing commitment to playing our part in the prosperity and wellbeing of the city of Derby and the county of Derbyshire.”