A colourful collaboration: the Community Mural Project 2025
This year, another team of student volunteers have returned to Junior Sports Hub in Harehills. Their goal? To design and paint a mural in collaboration with the children who use the space, that reflects their community values.
Our community partner - Junior Sports Hub
Located in Harehills, Junior Sports Hub (JSH) is a community-led charity dedicated to empowering young people through sports activities, relief projects, and the provision of facilities. Since opening its doors eight years ago in a former warehouse behind the Bilal Mosque, JSH has flourished under the leadership of directors Kamran and Imran. Today, it supports dozens of regular sports clubs, a community café, adult support groups, homework clubs, community gardening, and various outreach activities.
The Sustainability Service first engaged with JSH with last year’s project, to create a mural in the community garden. Keen to build on this success, it was decided a second mural would be created in the main sports hall.
Developing skills beyond the curriculum
Four University of Leeds students were selected to take part in the project, Tanvi Manikoth (MA, Art and Design), Fozia Qureshi (BA Fine Art with Art History) Leila Fur (BA Graphic Design and Illustration) and Tahmeena Hanif (BA Business Management with Marketing).
The team were mentored by local artist Megan Dobbyn who provided training on technical and professional skills guiding the project from concept to final design. The artists also learned about community engagement, inclusive practice, and project management with support from the Sustainability Service.
Volunteering provided me with a sense of self-fulfilment beyond my academic studies and helped me expand my portfolio outside of my subject area.
- Tanvi Manikoth (MA, Art and Design)
Tanvi talks more about her experience with Volunteer Stories.
A collaborative design
The team facilitated three workshops with members of JSH’s Youth Ambassadors in November last year. To generate ideas, the team used reference images of works from a range of artists such as Banksy and Keith Herring. There were positive responses to the use of bright colours and Herring’s iconic bold-outlined figures which inspired the style.
The featured elements in the design all spawned from the Youth Ambassadors’ suggestions and original drawings to represent the diversity of activities at JSH. The trophy (aspiration), books (opportunity), sports activities and cooking/food (health and wellbeing) alongside family and community represent the values that sit at the heart of JSH.
Our team of student artists then worked hard to translate all the elements into a cohesive design. Over three days in February they mapped the design onto the wall and completed the painting.
Celebrating the impact
In May, the team returned to JSH for an official unveiling with JSH directors Kamran and Imran, and children from the JSH after school club. The children spoke about their favourite features of the design and the importance of seeing their community represented through art. The team also presented the children with their own postcard prints of the mural to take home.
Want to get involved?
The Community Mural Project is just one of many opportunities to develop skills through volunteering with the Sustainability Service. You can find more information on our volunteering page or by getting in touch Sustainability Project Coordinator Chris Bowie [email protected].
United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
We use the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a framework to guide our activity. Our work on the Community Mural Project is linked to the following SDGs:
- Goal 10: Reduced inequalities
- Goal 11: Sustainable cities and communities
- Goal 17: Partnerships
Find out more about our impact on the SDGs.
