A new mural commissioned as part of Derby City Council’s city centre public art programme has been completed, bringing a vibrant new artwork to one of the city’s key locations.
The mural, located on the Bold Lane substation between St Werburgh’s Church and Bold Lane Car Park, was identified as one of the priority sites in a wider programme of public realm improvements designed to enhance the city centre for residents and visitors.
Building on the opening of Vaillant Live and the refurbished Derby Market Hall, the programme aims to create eye-catching public artworks that celebrate Derby’s identity, improve the appearance of prominent city centre spaces and encourage people to connect with their surroundings.
Created by Derby-born artist Natalie Coe, the mural features flora and fauna painted in a contemporary style. The artwork incorporates Jacob’s Ladder, the flower of Derbyshire, reflecting the artist’s connection to the local area and the city’s heritage.
Natalie said:
The design weaves together the flora of Derbyshire, with Jacob’s Ladder, the county flower at its heart, alongside the grass of parnassus and giant crocuses. I wanted it to feel playful yet also quietly classical.
The palette was chosen to complement the leafy surroundings and brightens up an everyday building into something people want to look at. Every day while I was painting, passers-by stopped to share their reactions, and they were overwhelmingly positive.
Public art creates dialogue, tells people that the places they live are worth caring about, and gives people a reason to feel proud of where they live.
The Bold Lane mural, funded through the Government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund, was one of several priority locations identified by the Council. Further artworks are expected to be delivered across the city centre in the coming months.
Councillor Gurkiran Kaur with the new mural
Councillor Gurkiran Kaur, Derby City Council Cabinet Member for City Centre, Culture and Tourism, said:
In the summer we invited artists to submit ideas for mural artworks to help make our city centre brighter and more welcoming, and I'm thrilled to see this one completed at Bold Lane substation.
This was one of our priority locations and the flora and fauna theme complements its surroundings beautifully, as well as the Electric Daisy artwork opposite.
The mural is a great example of how public art can bring life, colour and character to our city centre. I look forward to seeing more artworks take shape over the coming months as we continue to make Derby an even more vibrant and welcoming place for residents and visitors alike.
The public art programme forms part of Derby City Council's ongoing work to improve the city centre environment and support its continued evolution as a destination for culture, leisure and business.