Celebrating Hunslet, a wonderful piece of animated community artwork, co-created by local residents working with artist Rozi Fuller, was unveiled at the Involve Centre last Saturday (22 March 2025).
The piece is a collage representing various stories from around Hunslet, but with the use of the Artivive app on a smartphone or tablet, you can watch an animation bringing each element to life and illustrating the story behind the image. For example, if you point your phone at the Hunslet Engine Co building, a train runs along in front of it.
Rozi explained the process the group went through during her 12 weeks as artist in residence, part of Swarthmore’s Lottery funded Creative Communities project.
“We gathered a huge amounts of amazing stories. But right from the start when I was asking what is there to celebrate in Hunslet people were saying the kindness, people in Hunslet are really kind” she said.
The team visited groups in community including the Hunslet Remembers group that meets monthly at the library; Hunslet RLFC’s Friday Breakfast Club, which many ex-players and older fans attend; the Monday after school club and the Thursday Soup and Roll club at Involve; SLATE the furniture reuse shop; and St. Mary’s CE Primary Academy.
They often used art activities such as flowerpot painting, making peggy birds, or simple animations as a way to get conversations started and stories flowing. A mapping exercise established only that no one can agree on Hunslet’s boundaries!
The group then made collage material from which to construct each element in the final artwork.
“The group chose which stories to include” explains Rozi. “The group wanted to celebrate Hunslet as it is now, but definitely reflecting on the successes of the past as well.”
There are depictions of Hunslet Lake, the library, Tulip retail park, the Parnaby Tavern, Hunslet RLFC, the almshouses, Hunslet Engine Co and Middleton Railway, plus of course, the Involve community centre.
As well as the whole artwork in the centre, each element has been reproduced on boards mounted around the outside of the building.
You can find out more about the project and the stories behind each element of the artwork at www.swarthmore.org.uk/celebrating-hunslet
The Creative Communities project continues with more workshops in Beeston and Belle Isle after Easter. Then on Thursday 29 May, there will be a celebration event at BITMO for the Artist Residency that is currently still ongoing in Belle Isle.
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