A new community-led mural project has transformed two prominent buildings in Middlesbrough town centre.

The homes in Gresham have been given eye-catching new looks as part of the first Middlesbrough Storytelling Festival.

Titled ‘Stories of Home’ and ‘Skies of Home’, the Princes Road murals have been delivered by Middlesbrough Council in partnership with Creative Factory and the Institute for Collective Place Leadership at Teesside University.

Artist Nocciola the Drawer has mentored local artist Hannah Campion with the pair running workshops to create designs that reflect local people’s stories of home - the theme for this year’s Storytelling Festival.

In Stories of Home, adult and child figures represent the passing of stories, traditions and lessons between generations. The mural’s colourful background is inspired by artwork created during workshops with local groups and
organisations.

Skies of Home celebrates belonging, connection and the people who make Middlesbrough feel like home. It’s Inspired by Middlesbrough’s big skies, changing weather, rainbows, the River Tees, North Sea coast and journeys
through the area.

Middlesbrough Council contributed to the funding of the murals using government Pride in Place money designed to help improve the look and feel of the town centre.

Cllr Philippa Storey, Deputy Mayor and Executive member for Culture at Middlesbrough Council, said: “It’s brilliant that so many people and different groups have played a part in the murals. This is a great demonstration of both our culture of creativity and culture of community that will shine through in our bid for City of Culture 2029.

“Both murals have done a brilliant job of brightening up the area. This is an amazing success for the Storytelling Festival, and I’d like to thank everyone who has contributed.”

Azadeh Fatehrad, Professor of Art and Public Policy at Teesside University and Co-Director of the Institute for Collective Place Leadership, said: ''This project created a space for communities to actively shape how their neighbourhood is seen, experienced, and shared. “Through participatory workshops, we explored what home means, but also how it is collectively made- through relationships, memory, and everyday practices. The murals reflect these layered experiences, offering a meaningful and visible expression of belonging within the area.”

Anna Byrne, Executive Director of Creative Factory, said: “Creative Factory is all about spaces that create and connect. We are absolutely delighted; not only have we created space for four creatives to live in Gresham, we now have these amazing murals, developed by the wonderful connections of our communities and artists. It's a perfect example of why we've been longlisted for City of Culture.” Organisations that contributed to the murals include a karate group and model railway group from Newport Hub, Streets Ahead for Information, participants in Bob Beagrie and Rumana Yasmin’s project Washed Up and people who attended a family fun day.