Designs from Stevenage school competition to feature in underpass

Over 950 artwork entries were received.

24 FEBRUARY 2025

In late 2024 Stevenage schools were invited to enter a competition to have their artwork displayed on the walls of a local underpass. Over 950 entries were received and the winning designs will transform the Gunnels Wood Road and Martins Way underpass.

Due to be unveiled in the spring, 268 artworks will be displayed.  Children were asked to select one of the town’s designated neighbourhood colours to create their designs.

A panel of judges, including Cllr Loraine Rossati, representatives from Junction 7 Creatives and the Stevenage Development Board, selected the winning entries from 19 schools including Almond Hill, Bedwell Primary, The Leys Primary and Nursery and Marriotts School. Every school who entered the competition will be represented as part of the overall design.

Cllr Loraine Rossati, Cabinet Member for Culture, Leisure and Wellbeing at Stevenage Borough Council, comments: “We would like to thank all the young people for their amazing and colourful entries and for helping to make this competition such a success.  Seeing their artwork was inspirational and really opened our eyes to the amazing creativity of young people in Stevenage. Congratulations to everyone whose entry was chosen for the underpasses and we look forward to seeing their bright and bold artworks displayed.”

The underpass project is being funded by the Stevenage Development Board through national government’s towns fund of which Stevenage received £37.5m in March 2021, and will be the latest artwork to be installed as part of a programme of underpass improvement works by Stevenage Borough Council and Hertfordshire County Council.

Chair of the Stevenage Development Board Adrian Hawkins OBE added: “The development of our town is at the heart of our people and we are delighted that our desire to encourage the use of our cycleways and make them wonderful facilities to use and interesting to see, that our local schools have delivered some wonderful artwork ideas. This is our community engaging in creating our future presentation and regeneration of our town and is wonderful to see”.

Davinder Khangura, Headteacher of The Leys Primary and Nursery School and Chair of Stevenage Pupil Parliament, adds:  “The children thoroughly enjoyed designing artwork for the Stevenage underpasses, using different colours to bring their creative ideas to life. They were excited to express themselves through art and loved the challenge of entering the competition. It was a fantastic opportunity for them to showcase their talents and contribute to their community!”