Artist hopes new mural will get people talking

The artist behind a new mural which has been painted on the side of a listed building in Sheffield has said he hopes it will spark conversations.

Part of the former Cole Brothers and John Lewis building now features a bold design which reads: "Walk in your purpose and trust in the process".

Local artist Kid Acne said he spent two weeks painting the mural in "not ideal" conditions, the first week with heavy rain in the run-up to Storm Claudia, the second in near-zero temperatures.

"Obviously, I'm writing 'trust in the process' massive on the side of this wall so I've had to keep reminding myself that when there have been moments of despair or downpours," he said.

"When it gets too cold or too wet, you kind of just have to down tools, but that has also been part of the process."

The creation of the mural, on the building's car park ramp on Cross Burgess Street, has been funded by volunteer group Friends of Sheffield City Centre, with the support of grants from city ward councillors and developers Urban Splash.

The artist said he wanted the slogan to be a positive one and to spark conversations.

"Painting something so big in a public space means people do feel able to interact with you," he said.

"I tend to try and make as much time for that as possible and I've been having some really interesting conversations with people. People are asking questions about the process."

Meanwhile, Kid Acne said there were several murals "popping up" around Sheffield at the moment.

"I think there's an appetite for it. It is part of the landscape," he said.

Bridget Ingle, a member of the Friends group, said securing permission for the mural on the Grade II listed building had taken "much hard work".

"It's been a joy to create something that breathes new life into our city's streetscape," she explained.

"Kid Acne is an established local artist who truly understands and respects the culture of this art form."

The building on which the mural has been created was opened in 1963 and is set to be redeveloped by Urban Splash into a mixed-use hub of workspaces, cafes, retail, leisure and event spaces.

Sian Stanhope, Urban Splash development manager, said the mural aligned with the ethos of the original architects of the building which had a "long-standing connection to the arts".

Listen to highlights from South Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North