Eden Place Arts' Centre: Celebrating 30 years of serving the Derry community

Eden Place Arts Centre is celebrating a special milestone of 30 years of partnership with Pilots Row Youth Club.

Over 30 years, thousands of young people from the area have benefitted from the youth services offered there, and to mark the occasion, current members of the youth club created a landmark mural at the entrance to the arts centre.

Eden Place Arts Centre is supported by The National Lottery through the Arts Council of Northern Ireland.

Working with local, professional artist, Patrick Doherty, the young people spent months planning and designing the mural which was recently unveiled to an excited audience from the local community in the Bogside area of Derry.

Inspired by the work of artist L.S. Lowry, and Derry artist Square Bear, who himself is a former member of the youth club, the mural features several landmarks from the city such as Eden Place Arts Centre, The Peace Bridge, The Derry Walls, The Guildhall and more, enveloped in a cascade of colour and emotion.

Judi Logue, Eden Place Arts Centre Co-Ordinator, said: “I am absolutely brimming with pride to be with the young people of Pilots Row Youth Club, their fantastic Youth Leader Tomás Logue and local artist Patrick Doherty today to launch this beautiful mural on the wall of our building to celebrate our 30th Anniversary.

“The young people of this area have done us proud. The mural, full of imagination and colour has been designed and painted by the young people over the last number of months and will inspire the many people coming through our door for years to come”.

Pictured at the unveiling of the mural are Pilots Row Youth Club members, Aaron Sharp, Eva McGilloway, artist, Paddy Doherty, Lucy-May Harrigan and Dillon Ryan.

Patricia Lavery, Head of Community Arts and Education, Arts Council of Northern Ireland, added: “The Arts Council of Northern Ireland is proud to support Eden Place Arts Centre, thanks to The National Lottery players.

“I was thrilled to attend the launch of this wonderful mural by members of the youth club at Eden Place Arts Centre which celebrates 30 years of partnership between Eden Place Arts Centre and Pilots Row Youth Club.

“From this mural it is clear that the young people wanted to express how they feel when they go into the arts centre and being opened up to a world of colour and imagination.  Congratulations to all involved.”