Young community members are using spray painting and graffiti art to help decorate the set of an upcoming Shakespearean production.

Artist Kezia Hoffman is spending three weekends at The Friary teaching local residents how to create street art using eco-friendly spray paints. 

The participants are using their new skills to graffiti a large skate ramp that will be used in the production of William Shakespeare’s The Tempest in Churchill Gardens.

Kezia, who also produces art through sculpture and stone carving has been doing graffiti art for 23 years.

She said: “Of all the forms I’ve worked with in the community, probably the most powerful one to actually engage people has been spray painting.

"I find it quite interesting because it raises quite a lot of questions in people because some people jump to the conclusion that it’s negative; that it’s associated with criminal damage, but actually, it engages people through colour and boldness and quite a lot of expression. It can be used so positively.”

The project was devised by Friary resident and community associate on The Tempest, Aidan Lewis. 

Aidan has been working with Wiltshire Creative since autumn 2022 to ensure the community are truly at the heart of the production.

Other projects taking place include an MC project creating music for the performance and community set-making workshops.