MONTHS of work came to fruition for seven young artists this week as they began the final stage of Horsham Skate Park’s Streat Art Project.
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The artists started painting the park’s eight seats with different street art designs on Monday.
Wimmera HUB’s Robbie Millar, who mentored the participants with artist Karl Stehn, said the project should be finished by the end of the week.
“It depends on the weather, but the kids are all ready to go,” he said.
“Karl – who is originally from Horsham but lives in Geelong – is up here for the week, so we’re hoping to get it finished.”
Mr Millar said the pair had been working with the artists, who ranged in age from 13 to 19, since the end of January.
“We started by looking through a lot of images on Google and picked out ones we liked,” he said.
“Then we roughly drew up some designs and once we had half a dozen we went to the other skate park users to see which ones they liked.”
Mr Miller said the group also sought feedback via Facebook before short-listing eight designs.
He said the artists attended a range of workshops, which included learning how to use spray cans.
“They’re very enthusiastic,” he said.
“They are all keen users of the skate park and are keen to improve it and keep it clean.”
Mr Millar said the project encouraged the park’s users to take responsibility for it.
“I think it’s done what it set out to do, which is crime prevention,” he said.
“It is about having something nice so that people won’t graffiti it or vandalise it.”
Mr Millar said the project’s participants also benefited from developing planning skills, learning street art techniques, being part of a team and working with older mentors and Horsham Rural City Council representatives.
He encouraged people to visit the park to see what the young people had created.
The Streat Art Project was funded through a Department of Justice Community Crime Prevention Grant and facilitated by council.
