New 'vibrant and exciting' murals have been painted on The Commemoration Hall in Huntingdon and the Skatepark in Judith's Field, Godmanchester, helping to transform the towns.
Young artists from Europe arrived in the district from September 21 to September 24 and joined students from Huntingdon and Godmanchester to paint the murals as part of the Bridging Art Murals (BAM) Youth Cultural Festival.
Huntingdon & Godmanchester Twinning Association (HGTA) and The Commemoration Hall combined to organise the event, with the murals creating a visual story of how twin towns across Europe are linked.
Both murals are a montage of designs featuring landmarks in HGTA's twin towns, Wertheim, Szentendre, Gubbio & Salon de Provence, Huntingdon, and Godmanchester.
Each young artist then enjoyed a weekend of activities, culminating in a finish with a celebratory hog roast and entertainment by Huntingdon Youth Theatre and presentations at Buckden Towers, where the visitors stayed.
The event's main organiser from HGTA said: "It has been wonderful to see young artists from our twin towns coming together with our own to create these vibrant murals.
"A lasting reminder of our friendships across Europe. It was a brilliant weekend!"
"It [the weekend] created opportunities for our young people to form new friendships, promote further understanding of each others' cultures for the future and provide a colourful and educational legacy that will enhance both towns.
READ MORE:
- Huntingdon and Godmanchester celebrate 40-year twinning anniversary in Germany
- Hinchingbrooke Hospital celebrates 40 years: Meet the staff
The weekend also included art-based workshops provided by BID Huntingdon First, led by Jonny Graffiti Barton, who created the murals in Literary Walk.
Huntingdon First Town Manager Paul Sweeney also celebrated the opening of the mural on the Commemoration hall with a speech."
"This mural is a long time coming," he said.
"The original piece that adorned the back of the hall was painted in the early 1980s by pupils from St Peters School; that piece has been a central landmark in Huntingdon for over 40 years.
"Sadly, in recent years, it's fallen to disrepair and was in need of a makeover.
"Flash forward to September 2023, and today we're now standing in front of a brand-new era for the mural, one that I hope will last for another 40 years!"
"What has been achieved over the last few days is nothing short of astounding."
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here