And the turning point came in 2014.
A small collective of emerging local artists – including myself – transformed a unit in Festival Place shopping mall into a pop-up art gallery: a dynamic, artist-led space dedicated to contemporary artwork. We had a DIY spirit – the artists curated it, ran it, promoted it – entirely independently. It wasn’t just a gallery; it was a place to experiment, collaborate, and grow as artists.
The people of Basingstoke responded to the gallery with overwhelming positivity. Visitors returned week after week to see our ever-evolving exhibition of new paintings. New artists would come knocking, asking to be a part of the gallery. Opportunities appeared. All of a sudden, there was an art scene in the town.
That enthusiastic response from the people of Basingstoke was a catalyst for me; the gallery became an instrumental step in my career, ultimately giving me the confidence to take the leap after a decade of teaching art in local schools, and become a full-time, professional artist.
And my story is just one of many. Twelve years on, thanks to the continued support of Festival Place, the gallery remains a thriving platform for emerging and established artists. Over the years, several have also gone on to achieve wide recognition in their fields.
Transforming the town though art
While gallery spaces are vital, much of my own art in Basingstoke has come to life outdoors.
Through mural commissions, and some game-changing projects with Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council and Destination Basingstoke, I’ve been able to reach new audiences, and bring art directly into daily life. From adorning telecom boxes with bright paintings of garden birds, to adding a splash of colour to the brutalist-style Great Wall, to painting murals on shop shutters in South Ham’s Burnaby Parade, I’ve seen how street art can help shift the atmosphere of a place, inject some culture, and crucially, a sense of pride.
One of my favourite street art projects in Basingstoke was transforming a long underpass that connects Winklebury to the Leisure Park. The railway tunnel was once dark, dank, intimidating and avoided. Today, it is an underwater world — vibrant sea creatures, bright coral and shoals of fish stretching across the entire tunnel. Families now walk through it slowly instead of rushing. Children point out details. Dog walkers stop to take photographs. What was once a space people hurried through has become something of a landmark. For me, that underpass symbolises what street art can do. It doesn’t just decorate. It changes how a place feels. I think that’s why the local community in Basingstoke has been so supportive of my mural projects.
Talking of transformative, I’ve loved the emergence of the ’Let’s Glow’ installations – an immersive light trail that illuminates the town centre during the gloom of winter. It’s adored by local families, transforming their everyday urban environment into something magical – much like the acclaimed Basingstoke Festival, which brings vibrant culture, street theatre, music and art to the streets of Basingstoke each summer. The buzz in the town during festival time is not to be missed.
Surrounded by nature
Although Basingstoke is often perceived as urban at its core, it is in fact a richly rural borough, encircled by beautiful countryside, forests and chocolate-box villages. As an artist, I draw direct inspiration from these surroundings into my paintings and murals. The wildlife is abundant too; hares, deer, foxes, red kites, pheasants, barn owls, yellowhammers… I use my murals to remind residents of this beauty that frames our town. We’re so lucky.
My vibrant mural outside Basingstoke train station, for example, depicts the scenic train journey through the flourishing Hampshire countryside, en-route to London. Similarly at nearby Micheldever station, you’ll find my large mural celebrating the local house martins that nest in the station each year.
The connection between landscape and creativity runs deep here. Approach Basingstoke by road from the countryside, and you’re likely to be greeted by one of the town’s boundary signs. On it – a reminder that this borough was the birthplace of one of the world’s most beloved writers – Jane Austen. In the summer of 2017, Basingstoke cemented its place in the Jane Austen story, with a public art trail ‘Sitting with Jane’ adorning the town with Austen-inspired artworks. I was proud to be a part of such a cultural moment for Basingstoke, with literary fans travelling from afar to explore the art trail. Jane herself used to go dancing in Basingstoke’s Market Square, and a bronze statue of Jane now stands proudly outside the Willis Museum – a beautiful reminder that creativity has long been rooted in this town.
And let’s not forget that the famous Watership Down is on our doorstep too – the wild habitat providing the direct inspiration for Richard Adams’ novel about a group of rabbits, which has gone on to inspire generations. So much inspiration surrounds us, and it feeds into my work every day.
Inspiring young minds
Talking of inspiring young minds, community engagement has always been central to my practice. Working with local schools in Basingstoke, students have helped discover and depict the local wildlife and landscapes in their town. When young people see their environment reflected back at them in colour and scale, it builds pride and connection. It tells them their home is worth celebrating.
For Basingstoke, winning the Town of Culture bid would be transformative, especially for our younger generations. Investment in the arts brings distinctiveness, pride and unity. It sparks imagination. It offers escapism. It unlocks inspiration.
Culture here is active and visible – from a thriving community of artists, to renowned performing spaces, to schoolchildren painting their first murals. There’s so much happening already, it’s exciting to imagine where Basingstoke can go from here.