Big Wall Art Activists – the power of art to have your voice heard!
Launched in November 2024, ‘Big Wall’ is a Big Worle initiative funded by Local Trust and supported by Weston-super-Mare Town Council and Super Culture. It will engage young people in the Worle area through creative activities that explore different forms of wall art to develop new, site-specific artworks for the central blue zone in Worle.
The project, led by Weston-based artist and project facilitator Sam Francis, and Community Producer Sophie Shepherd, will culminate in a legacy public artwork for Worle that will be unveiled in Summer 2025.
A group of local Art Activists, aged 13 to 16, will look at how different wall based art forms can be used to inspire and communicate ideas and messages in response to the local community and the wider world.
The ‘Big Wall’ programme of activities includes regular meet-ups and workshops with guest artists, and trips to iconic art sites in Bristol and London to provide inspiration. Young people will discover how public art happens through taking part in the process of commissioning an artist to co-create a unique artwork for Worle. The aim is for young people to develop their own creative voices within these sessions and help to shape the direction of the project. Areas featured in Big Wall Art Activists range from street art, word art, poster projects, fly-posting & billboards and murals to stencilling, stickers, freehand drawing, 3D wall-based art and projection & digital mapping.
Weston-based artist and Big Wall project facilitator, Sam Francis said: “Activist Art is rooted in the act of ‘doing’ and addresses social issues, challenging the status quo to inspire change through creative expression.
“Through ‘Big Wall’ young people will look at how this artform can be used to communicate ideas and messages that respond to the local community as well as the wider world that they are part of.
“As the project unfolds, participants will discover how public art happens and explore social action in arts and culture through wall-based, site-specific artworks in public places – graffiti and beyond!”
Charlie Lester, Chair of Big Worle, said: “Big Worle are proud to collaborate with Super Culture on this exciting project. We are excited to see what the panel of young people will create for our legacy, community piece to showcase at our finale event in August 2025”.
Creative sessions that have taken place so far include an introductory session where the art activists created their own graffiti name tags, Big Worle Hub’s Community Halloween event with the ‘Big Wall Black-out Coven’, creating collaborative glow-in-the-dark UV artworks and a Weston town centre guided tour of artworks including Weston Wallz, led by local artist Bev G Star.
February: During half term the Big Wall artivists travelled via minibus to Bristol embarking on a walking Street Art Tour around the City, from the colourful walls of Stokes Croft to Banksy‘s infamous window artwork on Park Street. Stopping by The Island studios located in former police station in the heart of Bristol’s graffiti zone, the young people learned how to create a stencilled artwork with spray paint, and make their own name tag during a GRAFT workshop with The Botanical Vandals. A short stop off to Castle Park for a meal deal shared with the pigeons, before heading up to Bristol Museum, and finally a trip to sensory overload amazement park Wake the Tiger. Inspired by the vibrant array of wall based art, murals, graffiti, posters, and sculptures around Bristol, the group reflected on the kind of art they would like to commission in Worle.
March: Research & Development!
Artists duo Low Profile held a session with the group exploring how public artworks are developed, and worked on an artist brief for an open-call for a commissioned artist to work with them for the project, and thinking about questions they would like to ask the artist. A public consultation event was also held to share the project with local residents. In April, the Art Activists shortlisted artists from the open-call, and interviewed and selected the commissioned artist.
April: The group travelled to London to gather some more Big Wall inspiration!
A whistle stop tour round Tate Modern saw the young people take in the works of Andy Warhol and Guerrilla Girls, as well as captivating installations at the Electric Dreams Exhibition, featuring the famous Dream Machine by Brion Gysin.
The group then sketched along The Thames, influenced by the cityscape and bustling tourist spots and taking in the sights of artworks at Southbank’s Undercroft Skate Space. The day finished with a stop-off at the art-filled Leeke Street Arches, where the artivists got the chance to chat to live graffiti painters.
June: Local Artist Commissioned for Big Wall Project
Sarah Dicks is a queer artist based in Weston-super-Mare, UK—proudly sporting a strong Bristolian accent! She creates murals of all sizes, blending bold colour with playful surrealism (and a love for sticking eyes on just about anything).
Drawing inspiration from pop culture and the weird, wonderful corners of her imagination, Sarah’s work bursts with vibrant hues and offbeat charm. With a background in performance design, she enjoys working across scales and mediums—from tiny, “fugly” portraits to massive murals, delicate gouache paintings to outlandish, oversized costumes.
Whether it’s through a splash of colour or a playful wink, Sarah’s art always carries a sense of wonder and whimsy—designed to make you smile, or maybe even think a little deeper.
Over the summer, Sarah led workshops with the art activists, exploring important themes and honing the message young people wanted to express through the mural. They also had the opportunity to purchase new art materials from The Range, experiment with drawing and design techniques, and create symbols and iconography to feature in the final piece.
July: Weston Wallz install visit
The art activists visited the 2025 Weston Wallz installation, exploring powerful works by international and local artists. They captured footage and recorded interviews for their project film, while also witnessing the live installation of Sprayjam boards and connecting with producers and volunteers from Weston Wallz.
August: Big Wall: New Public Artwork Launch
The mural was unveiled on August 30th at Big Worle’s Summer Bash, where the art activists hosted an information stall and shared their journey with the community as well as Weston’s Mayor.
September: Big Wall Film Screening
At the start of September, the art activists premiered the Big Wall film at the Big Worle Hub. Parents, carers, local professionals, and members of the Worle community attended, and the young people shared additional insights and personal reflections during a Q&A session following the screening.
An inspiring short film capturing the creativity, collaboration, and community spirit behind the public artworks created over the year of the Big Wall project. This documentary has been co-created, filmed, edited, and produced in partnership with the young people involved in the project, working alongside filmmaker Richard Edkins. It offers a behind-the-scenes look at the journey from early ideas to finished murals, exploring the themes, concerns, and passions that inspired the artworks.
About the Funders:
Local Trust is a place-based funder supporting communities to achieve their ambitions. It was established in 2012 to deliver Big Local, a National Lottery Community-funded programme, which committed £1m each to 150 areas across England to create lasting change in their neighbourhoods over 10 to 15 years.
Big Worle was lucky enough to secure this funding for Worle in Weston-super-Mare. As part of this, projects have been created to provide a legacy for the area with activities for young people a high priority, including the ‘Big Wall’ initiative.
