Talented artists are helping us keep sub-stations graffiti-free – by painting stunning murals on them
Tags, messages, markings and scrawls are an all too common sight on NGED property in towns and cities.
Graffiti often blights the lives of people living nearby and cleaning and painting over it costs the company many thousands of pounds a year.
Now the team in Plymouth are adopting a different approach to tackling the problem – commissioning professional street artists to paint murals on affected sites.
So far 12 substations have been transformed in partnership with Plymouth Artists Together (PAT) and at least another six are being lined up for rejuventation.
From depictions of nature and wildlife, to people and scenes with local connections, PAT has created eye-catching murals which are helping to enhance the city’s landscape.
Previously, painting over illegal daubings would only be a short-term solution as graffiti would often quickly return, at times prompting complaints from unimpressed residents fed-up at being confronted by ugly spraying and offensive language.
Plymouth Distribution Manager Tom Weekes said: “We’ve been pleased with how the artists have transformed unpleasant graffiti into visually appealing works of art that project a more positive image for us and Plymouth.”
Besides the beneficial environmental impact, the murals are also saving the company sizeable cleaning and repainting costs.
PAT’s artwork is not just being seen at NGED sites. With their mantra of “Regenerating Plymouth one wall at a time”, the group works with the city council and other businesses to create legal street art spaces, including street galleries.
From its launch in 2020, it has grown to 180 members and has artists of all ages and abilities. PAT has steadily won recognition for its transformation of neglected and unsightly walls and buildings and recently launched a £5,000 Crowdfunder appeal to extend its work across Plymouth.
Recognising the valuable contribution PAT is making to the city – including work with ex-offenders –NGED has contributed £1,000.
Welcoming the donation, Mike Vosper of PAT said: “We hope to get match funding via the city council if we raise £5,000 and this support from National Grid is very welcome in helping us close in on that target.
“Working with locally-based companies like National Grid opens up new opportunities for our artists to display their talent and transform sites that have become eyesores, improving the image of the city for residents and visitors alike.”