Public Invited to Input into Art Project to Celebrate the Importance of Life’s Connections
Translink is teaming up with Belfast based Australian street artist Danni Simpson to create a large-scale art piece which will uniquely be completed with the help of the Northern Ireland public. In support of Translink’s latest ‘Life Better.Connected’ campaign the specially commissioned urban style mural depicting well known places and connections around Northern Ireland will, once completed, tell an important story about how travel and public transport helps deliver connections that matter.
Danni Simpson, a young artist known for her unique, vibrant, art style, will be kicking off the Translink ‘Life Better.Connected’ Roadshow at Victoria Square on Saturday 12th August from 9am – 6pm. Members of the public are being invited to join Danni to help colour in the bespoke large-scale mural and make ‘colourful connections’ while doing so. This kicks off a provincewide roadshow where the mural will be the centrepiece of the activities to be completed through individual contributions from members of the public. The roadshow will also encourage people to share their own stories of important connections facilitated by public transport and will visit four more shopping centres over the coming weeks including:
- Foyleside – Sat 19th August
- Fairhill – Sat 26th August
- The Quays – Sat 2nd September
- Abbey Centre – Sat 9th September
The art piece will also feature at the Belfast Mela, Botanic Gardens on Sunday 27th August. Team Translink will then be out and about in NI bringing the artwork further afield.
Speaking about the initiative Danni Simpson, said: “I wanted to create an illustration which captured Translink’s vision of ‘Life Better.Connected’ with the iconic landmarks and people of Northern Ireland represented in it. Belfast has always had a special place in my heart and I feel a deep connection with it. I love the idea of this piece of urban art being completed collaboratively with the people of Northern Ireland and its visitors. While I have developed the outline illustration, I’m really looking forward to seeing my artwork filled with the input and vibrant colours of the public as it makes its journey around Northern Ireland. The collaborative way we intend to complete the piece of art only serves to reinforce the importance of connections even further.”
David Cowan, Translink Director of Commercial Operations, added:
“At Translink we know that what we do is much more than just getting people from A to B. Public transport is a key enabler of connections that really matter, and it connects people and places in many ways that support the rich tapestry of life.
“Our ‘Life Better.Connected’ campaign is an emotive campaign designed to celebrate the important role public transport plays in building relationships, strengthening communities, supporting the economy, sustaining the health, wellbeing and education of local people. Increasingly it also has a vital role in tackling climate change and improving our environment as well as our relationship with the planet that sustains us. Throughout the campaign we want to hear people’s stories about the important connections that public transport supports and why they matter to them.
“Working with Danni to deliver a collaborative art piece will reinforce our key messages and through its interactivity help build even more connections as we move across Northern Ireland. We hope it will deliver an impactful piece of art which captures that story perfectly and acts as a reminder of the importance of connections, many of which are facilitated by public transport.”
Through this latest campaign, the public transport operator is encouraging people to share their stories about how public transport helps them make connections that matter, whether for friendships, work, socialising or accessing important public services. People are encouraged to engage with Translink through social channels using the hashtag #BetterConnected to share their connections.