Art on the Route as you Walk, Wheel or Scoot!
The Art on the Route project combines street art, performance and climate education. As a new, unique project for Kettering it highly complements our previous and ongoing local active travel programmes.
It focuses on highlighting potential for active travel along two major routes linking residential areas to the town centre - Grange Place on the Avondale Estate via Stamford Road/Montagu Street, and Hanwood Park via Barton Road/London Road - but will also bring wider benefits to the residents, visitors and businesses across the town.
The programme actvities mainly involve working with local children living on or near the routes with messages shared to their families and wider community. It will inspire and equip children to change their own travel habits and influence their peers, adults they know and the wider public. Key age ranges are those about to change their daily journey travel habits by moving to a new school - ages 10-11 with some work with pre-school children (age 4) and their families, as well as young people about to start college or work (ages 16-18).
The top 6 reasons why active travel is at the heart of the Art on the Route project
Leaving the car at home isn’t always an option, but when we choose to walk, wheel, or scoot, the benefits for Kettering are huge! 🎨🚲
Social Connection: It gives us time to talk to friends and family about our day or the interesting things we spot along the way.
Health: It helps us feel healthy in body and mind, giving us time to think and stretch our muscles to set us up for the day.
Air Quality: Fewer vehicles mean less pollution and nicer air for everyone in our town to breathe.
Independence: We feel more confident and safer travelling in our nearby streets when there are fewer cars around.
Local Love: We are much more likely to pop into a local shop or business when we are walking or scooting past!
Climate Action: Since vehicle pollution is the largest source of carbon emissions, the planet definitely thanks us for making the switch when we can.
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Our Partners
Brightwayz
Brightwayz is a social enterprise led by a team who are passionate about supporting and inspiring anyone involved in organising schemes to promote safe, active, sustainable travel - making places better, reducing travel inequalities, improving public health and cutting carbon emissions.
Our role within this project is the research of climate information to fit project audience and their lives, creating written content for printed and web supporting materials such as a regular walking diary challenge, an exciting treasure trail app, engaging other partners, project planning, management and monitoring.
Kettering Street Art CIC
Kettering Street Art is a CIC (Community Interest Company) based in Kettering, Northamptonshire. Their aim is to brighten the town, one artwork at a time!
We aim to create two large street-facing murals, three painted telecoms boxes, a printed map with stickers and a digital map with quizzes and QR links to further web based resources. Child-friendly street signage will feature printed and braille messaging, a unique embossed symbol (for wax rubbing) and QR links to performance recordings and further online resources.
Laugh Out Loud Theatre
Laugh Out Loud Theatre Company is a not-for-profit entertainment company. Established in 2018, we specialise in touring pantomimes, theatre in education shows and murder mystery events.
We work alongside town councils, schools, charities and organisations to bring our colourful performances to your local community.
For Art on the Route we are creating two in-school shows, two workshops, trail shows, bite size recordings for permanent QR codes on trails to link to via Brightwayz website.
Helping build awareness around climate change
This project specifically focuses on everyday travel - the largest UK source of carbon emissions.
Everyone can be empowered to do something about it personally whilst gaining other benefits. We want people to enjoy the artwork and the activities but also to consider their own daily travel habits and be inspired to try new greener modes.
It starts with a small, achievable goal that can be built on to create lasting change - we aren’t asking people to get rid of their cars (although if they decide to once they have tried our green travel options, then is great!).
Our clear, family-focused message is: ‘Come and see the artwork and enjoy the activities. Try out our active travel challenges coming over the next few months. Be inspired to try to fit active travel into your regular journeys and feel the benefits.".
