Young emerging artists from across the Central Coast are transforming three public spaces through creativity and community action, with the first Paint My Park mural on show at Bateau Bay skate park.
This vibrant youth-led initiative by Central Coast Council invites local young people aged 14–17 years to co-design and paint large-scale artworks that reflect their voices, values, and visions for a more happy, healthy and inclusive community – aligning to young people’s priorities highlighted in the Central Coast Youth Strategy.
The Council says Paint My Park is more than just a street art project, it’s about giving young people a platform to express themselves, providing mentoring opportunities to develop young people’s creative skills, to contribute to the spaces they live in positively, and take pride in their local environment.
In collaboration with local professional artists, participants are taken through a series of creative workshops, design sessions, and hands-on painting days.
The community is invited to come along to Council’s Central Coast Skatepark Series Spring Fling Competition on Saturday (11 October), where the completed artwork along with the young artists will be celebrated alongside music and a free BBQ between 12.30-1.30pm.
Funded by the NSW Government Youth Opportunities grant program, the project aims to reduce illegal graffiti and promote community engagement by using street art as a positive and creative outlet for young people on the Central Coast.
The public spaces selected for the project have been chosen through community consultation with stakeholders and highest numbers of reports of vandalism and graffiti to council.
Young people who would like to take part in the upcoming Paint My Park programs at East Gosford and Gwandalan can contact Council’s Youth Services Team at youthservices@centralcoast.nsw.gov.au.
