Young people’s positive billboard designs go live

A BILLBOARD campaign with a variety of positive mental health images and slogans by young people, has  gone live in Strabane.

Designed by young people taking part in The Playhouse Street Talk Youth Art Project, the work was created to have a positive impact on the topics of mental health and cyber bullying.

Springhill Park Area Residents and Youth Association Strabane and Lincoln Court Youth Club in Derry joined forced to create the images and slogans, with the help of graphic designer Damian O’Hara.

From March 22 to April 4 nine of the young people’s designs will appear on billboards, digital screens and wrapped bus shelters in across the district.

Cora Brewster, one of the participants with Springhill Park Area Residents and Youth Association said,  “I’m very proud and happy that I had the chance and opportunity to take part I’m even more happy to see my drawing up.”

Participant Christopher Quigley added, “It’s great to see our project come to life, [it’s] unreal to even see my name on the board, I didn’t think it would be so good.”

Brian McNamee, project coordinator at Springhill Park Area Residents and Youth Association stated, “The project let the young people express freely their creative side to entice information that would be relevant to these topics. We have made a great connection with Lincoln Courts and the young people and look forward to working with them in future.

“We would like to say a massive thanks to Elaine Forde, Damian O’Hara and Adam Taylor for all their hard work and also to Trevor Maeliff for helping us make the billboard designs live in Strabane.”

Street Talk is a cross community project that enables young people to use the arts to address issues relevant to them in their own communities. Law, order and policing, understanding the legal system, and breaking down barriers between communities are all addressed.

The project has been funded by Derry City & Strabane District Council Peace IV funding. For more information about The Playhouse Street Talk Youth Art Project visit www.derryplayhouse.co.uk.