Cambuslang Gateway Project

Since the start of the first lockdown, the Maguires team has worked from home. One of the unexpected results of this move is the ability for each member of the team to feel closer to their local community. This connection led to a unique collaboration between our Creative Director Chris Hannah and his local community council in Cambuslang. After reading in the local press about plans to create a series of murals to brighten up neglected sites across the town, Chris was keen to offer his services free of charge. Clare Williamson, vice-chair of Cambuslang Community Council (CCC) said: “Local residents have been telling us that they want a modern, vibrant, and welcoming environment for the town. Together with our streetscape project, the Gateway artwork is intended to demonstrate our civic pride, and a strong sense of belonging for local residents and businesses who live and work in the town. More importantly, we hope that the project will attract visitors and invite local people to the town centre to support local businesses to keep our town centre thriving for years to come.” The first mural has been installed at the entrance to Cambuslang Station. Through a number of engagement sessions run by the Community Council, the most popular places and spaces in the town were identified, allowing Chris to develop a series of 12 original illustrations that would form a central part to mural design, now known as ‘The Station Wall’. The project would also see the completion of two further murals, known as ‘The Sunflower Wall’ and ‘The Welcome Wall’. The idea for ‘The Sunflower Wall’ mural came from a simple act of kindness. During lockdown, five year old Hamish Shea grew a sunflower from seed and left it in a pot on the town’s main thoroughfare for everyone to enjoy. Local residents were so touched by the gesture that CCC was inspired to create a mural and a permanent seating area with planters in the same spot. The final mural – ‘The Welcome Wall’ – acts as a vibrant signpost for those entering the town, distinct in its own right, but utilising the same colour palette used across all three murals. CCC received record levels of engagement on social media and attracted local and national press coverage. The artwork from the murals also inspired a calendar, created by Maguires and CCC, that raised over £1,500 for local charities.