Art of Protest (AOP) has installed a series of legacy murals on North Street Gardens by the River Ouse, York. The carefully curated artwork celebrates the Rowntree family story and 4 gateways symbolising the family’s commitment to education, community, social welfare and green spaces. Keeping in that same vein, AOP partnered with Door84 to deliver creative learning workshops to inform the designs and a local St John University student to get involved in our inspiring talent development programme.
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Commissioned by York BID in partnership with York Cares, the City of York Council, Joseph Rowntree Foundation, and The Rowntree Society, and funded by Nestlé. The mural will form part of the York Art Trail. The mural marks the 100th anniversary of Joseph Rowntree's death and honours his contributions to the city, including the gift of North Street Gardens to York by the Joseph Rowntree Village Trust in April 1959.
Rachel Bean at York BID said, “It’s a real privilege to be part of this important project and to celebrate the people who have made York what it is today through art. This project has been a true partnership effort and I’m very grateful to AoPP and to all the project partners for their time and expertise. The mural has transformed the look and feel of the gardens into a really engaging and exciting space, and we hope everyone will come along to see it and learn about the significance of the gardens to our local history.”
Watch the mural highlights, and read on to learn more about its creation and impact below.
ART MAKING AN IMPACT
Taking a deep dive into the history and legacy, AOP met with the Rowntree Society, Executive Director, Nick Smith, to review the archives, imagery and historical literature for the family.
Quote from Nick Smith, "It was fantastic working with AOP and the other partners to develop this mural as part of the Joseph Rowntree Centenary. The Rowntree family left a remarkable and internationally significant legacy - not just with their confectionery business, but also through their pioneering work in social reform and philanthropy, shaped by their Quaker values. This mural connects that York-based legacy to one of the most important sites in the Rowntree story - the original Rowntree’s Cocoa Works - bringing it into everyday life and helping people in York today feel part of a shared history of care, change and community."
Central to all community murals, AOP delivered a creative learning workshop to children and young people at Door 84 where they were taught about the Rowntree legacy and local green spaces. Participants took away their own piece of art, learnt about local flora and informed the designs by choosing the colours of the Rowntree typography mural. When asked if they would like their colours to be included in the design, the young people all excitedly shouted “YES”. This is central to AOP's focus on education, community pride, upskilling and creating future local artists.
Our talent development student from York St John, Huw Malcolmson, said “I’m so grateful for this opportunity. It’s totally different from the work experience I’ve had before. It's hands-on and I get such a good explanation of the whole process from researching the design, learning the technical skills and then being trusted to help on the walls. AOP has really made me feel like one of the Team and I’ve felt so inspired. This is the start of something really special for me”.
Investment into placemaking can revitalise community spaces. Since partners have been invested into North Street Gardens, they have seen a reduction in anti-social behaviour, criminality and the latest mural brings a sense of pride and celebration.
Members of the public have been praising the mural for brightening up of the gardens. Tourists and previous Nestle employee, Stan and art lover Lyn said “We love it and it’s really thought provoking”.
ABOUT THE LEGACY ART WORK
Jeff Clark, Creative Director and artist, explained, “Inspired by the sentiment ‘From Chocolate Comes Change,’ this design celebrates the Rowntree, Seebohm, and Tuke families as catalysts for positive change in the City of York and beyond. The detail has incorporated Rowan tree leaves. The font choice replicates the original North Street Factory typeface, and the colour palette is informed by feedback from Door 84 participants.”
“The four doorways/gateways symbolise the Rowntree family's commitment to opportunity and their impactful, yet often understated, investment into York.”
EDUCATION
Gemma Waygood, AOP Senior Project Manager and qualified Children’s Social Worker, explained, “The books celebrate their sentiment education for all – a true act of 'doing good by stealth.' This imagery specifically evokes the gifting of the Joseph Rowntree Memorial Library and honours Seebohm Rowntree's groundbreaking 1901 study, "Poverty: A Study of Town Life." His research laid crucial groundwork for appropriate housing, the welfare state, and the living wage.”
The Rowntrees were pioneers, offering their workers a holistic support system that included social workers, championing women's rights, providing healthcare and mental health support, ensuring access to green spaces, and establishing initiatives like New Earswick village and Dunollie Rest House, among others.
GREEN SPACES
Chloe Clark, AOP muralist and Workshop Lead, said, “This design humbly nods to the Rowntree name, derived from the native Rowan tree, and celebrates the family's enduring legacy. The imagery of new life and growth alongside a maturing tree symbolises the diverse levels of impact the Rowntree family had on York and its community.”
The design directly honours the gifting of the North Street Gardens, as well as the various green spaces across York, highlighting Rowntree's recognition of ecotherapy's value for wellbeing. The colour palette is drawn from the feedback gathered during the Door 84 workshops.
SOCIAL WELFARE
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The three hands symbolise unity and togetherness, celebrating the profound commitments of the families of the Rowntrees, the Seebohms, and the Tukes to women's rights, workers' rights, and physical and mental health. The Rowntree family ensured their workforce had access to comprehensive support, including medical facilities, doctors, psychologists, social workers, and green spaces.
Furthermore, the Rowntree family established work councils to guarantee fair hearings for all employees. Notably, women were granted voting rights within these councils prior to national suffrage and actively participated as members, even holding management positions, demonstrating the Rowntree family's dedication to equality and human rights.
COMMUNITY
This design represents the North Street factory, which was the original Rowntrees site where workers experienced significant gains in employment rights, family time, holiday allowance, access to improved health services, and better wages.
The imagery embodies community, opportunity, and togetherness. The prominent windows symbolise the guiding light (a link to Quakerism) that Rowntree illuminated in York.
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WANT TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE?
Please get in touch to discuss partnership opportunities, including the delivery of placemaking projects, our unique Street Art Academy and creative learning workshops.
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