Christchurch residents are invited to witness a youth-led mural take shape during a special Community Painting Day at the Youth Hub later this month.

The event will be held on Sunday 27 April from 11am to 2pm at the Youth Hub, 109 Salisbury Street, and is part of a major public art project involving local rangatahi and SCAPE Public Art.

The two-storey mural will wrap around two sides of the outdoor courtyard at Youth Hub Christchurch. It’s the result of four intensive day-long workshops held in March, where ten young people from schools across the city — including one current Youth Hub resident — worked to develop the visual concept.

They are now collaborating with professional mural artists Richie (Pops) Baker and Lucas Lunn to paint the 200-square metre piece.

The project is a partnership between Youth Hub Christchurch and SCAPE Public Art, with support from Field Studio Architecture + Urbanism, Resene, the Farina Thompson Charitable Trust and Mahi Toi. Materials have been donated by Bunnings Shirley.

Youth Hub Trust Chair Dame Sue Bagshaw said the mural is about more than just art on the wall.

“It’s wonderful to watch the youth-led mural take shape. The very act of creating the mural is upskilling young people, providing real world experience, and enhancing their career-readiness,” she said.

“I’m sure the finished work will be an ongoing source of inspiration and pride.”

The public is invited to drop in, watch the painting in progress, and support the rangatahi as they transform the space through creativity and collaboration.