Liverpool City Council’s Flower Streets mural project scooped the Community Cohesion Award and People’s Choice Award at the Liverpool City Region Culture & Creativity Awards 2025 last night.
The visually striking project brought Kirkdale residents of different faiths, ages and ethnic backgrounds together to help transform their neighbourhood with a series of 11 striking murals inspired by floral street names.
Each mural not only represents the namesake of the flowers on each street – Crocus, Snowdrop, Pansy, Daisy, Woodbine and Harebell – but is also interwoven with stories from the community.
The council’s Culture Liverpool team commissioned dot-art to work with artist in residence Madeleine Pires to embed herself into the community, running free storytelling, writing, drawing and painting workshops and fostering a sense of unity and pride. The result was a street art gallery of gable end murals.
Each mural was made in collaboration with residents with one mural featuring one of the resident’s grandchildren depicted as fairies, another including floral motifs added by children from St Lawrence Primary School and another with the names of children who live in the neighbourhood.
The project is part of Liverpool City Council’s Creative Neighbourhoods programme, which aims to address the needs of each community at a neighbourhood level, encouraging local pride, a sense of place, inclusivity, accessibility and empowerment.
The project was also supported by the government’s Safer Streets initiative with funding for new street lighting, CCTV cameras and clearing alleyways.
Liverpool City Council’s Cabinet Member for Culture, Health and Wellbeing, Councillor Harry Doyle, said: “The Flower Streets mural project is a great example of place making, demonstrating how art can strengthen and empower communities, encourage integration and promote diversity and nurture a sense of pride. As such, we’re delighted it has been recognised with a Community Cohesion Award and People’s Choice Award, which celebrates the impact culture and creativity has on bringing communities together. It is a truly collaborative project with local councillors and Culture Liverpool working with dot-art and the local community.”
Lucy Byrne, Managing Director of dot-art, said: “The dot-art team are immensely proud of this transformative project. Time and again, people share with us how these murals illuminate their daily journeys and elevate their spirits. This stands as a remarkable cultural initiative that genuinely resonates with everyone – transcending age barriers and social backgrounds. Madeleine’s artistic vision has truly woven magic throughout the Flower Streets, and we’re deeply honoured to see this work receive the recognition it deserves.”
Artist Madeleine Pires added: “I’m so grateful that I was selected to create the murals for the Flower Streets. My lifelong mission as an artist is to express beauty and encouragement to the places and people who need it most. To see my art becoming a unifying force in this community, with the bonds of friendship that have blossomed and grown, is incredibly meaningful.”
Flower Street resident Nora, said: “I’ve lived on this street for 50 years and I think this is wonderful – it feels as though they’re recognising we are here.”
