A new urban art feature will appear in Stratford-upon-Avon to mark the 459th birthday of William Shakespeare.
Disused retail spaces on the high street will be revamped to create an immersive exhibition and bring to life some of the playwright’s best-known sonnets.
The artworks will appear alongside historic graffiti from visitors dating back to the 1500s who inscribed their initials and names into glass.
It will be unveiled on Friday.
The mobile gallery experience, curated by Global Street Art, seeks to draw in tourists from across the country to visit the Warwickshire town, and will feature the work of artists Church of Best Ever, Cee Illustrate, Ed Hicks, Tom J Newell, Zoe Power, and Pete Barber.
Tony Perks, deputy chief executive at Stratford-on-Avon District Council, said: “We know that empty shops are an issue in town centres across the county. This project has the opportunity to deliver an exciting and vibrant series of art works, to tempt more people and visitors alike back into our town centres, and help local businesses flourish.”
The concepts, which will be featured next to Shakespeare’s Birthplace at 22 Henley street in Stratford-upon-Avon, are:
1. Sonnet 65 – Mortality, by Church of Best Ever
2. Sonnet 18 – Beauty, by Cee Illustrate
3. Sonnet 119 – Infidelity, by Ed Hicks
4. Sonnet 63 – Jealousy, by Tom J Newell
5. Sonnet 12 – Time, by Zoe Power
6. Sonnet 130 – Love, by Pete Barber
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