'˜Empowering' street art comes to Bognor

People have been encouraged to take a picture in front of a street art design in London Road, called the ‘Bognor Angel’, with the town council writing in a Facebook post: ‘Get down to town and #selfie yourself with the #bognorangel’.

Sheila Hodgson, projects officer at Bognor Regis Town Council, said the project was brought in to help young people to ‘learn more skills’.

She added: “The project was a joint initiative between West Sussex County Council, Bognor Regis Town Council and You Can Spray.”

You Can Spray, is the first dedicated spray-painting charity that works with disengaged young people who are not in education or employment to inspire them through the medium of street art.

East-Sussex based street artist and inclusive art practitioner Sarah Gillings, who founded the charity in the summer of 2017, said street art is ‘such an amazing thing’ as it is an ‘unworldly medium’.

She added: “It empowers young people. In a way it is therapeutic, as it allows them to forget their worries.

“It is relaxing, makes them more confident and encourages team work. It also gives you transferable skills, and we’ve had a number of people who have been really inspired and have gone on to do really great things.”

Sarah said that the Bognor Angel is a ‘bit of fun’ and it is good for a town which ‘doesn’t have a huge amount going on’ in the streets.

“It’s a great attraction for people to come and have their picture taken in front of the angel,” she said.

“People are really liking it. It’s also nice as it gives U Can Spray publicity in the area.”