Swindon teenagers get painting for balloon dog sculpture trail

Messages to the community are being painted onto the Youth Justice Service Swinpup

Teenagers have been getting artistic for a town's public art trail of oversized balloon dog sculptures.

The group, supported by the Youth Justice Service, are painting messages for their community on a Swinpup as part of an art qualification.

More than 30 decorated Swindogs will be on display in Swindon from 15 July, with smaller Swinpups painted by schools and youth groups.

The Swindogs will then be auctioned in aid of Julia's House hospice.

Ten young people have worked with the justice service on their sculpture, with three on schedule to achieve a bronze art award.

Youth Justice Officer Amber Murtough has been helping the teenagers get their Swinpups painted

Youth Justice Officer Amber Murtough, 26, began the project on 13 April and said the designs have helped staff learn more about those they support.

"Some of them have started art GCSEs before," she told BBC Radio Wiltshire.

"[But] it's like a hidden passion that we haven't really known about."

'Message of diversity'

Ollie, aged 16, said the qualification he's working towards would just be a bonus.

"The reason for doing this is to get a message of diversity out into the community," he said.

Ollie's design features a rainbow-coloured trainer surrounded by the words "kindness", "resilience", and "brave", to represent LGBTQ+ and diversity in the community.

"It's a way for me to express myself and show people what I believe in," he said.

"It doesn't matter about sexuality or things like that - that's not important - it's who they are as a person."

Teenagers painting the Youth Justice Service Swinpup hope that bright colours will make the public stop and take notice of their messages

Ollie, who had never done any painting before, said the project was like mindful therapy.

"You can get your inner feelings out through colour almost in like a physical way," he continued.

"Your emotions and your feelings are represented by the colours in the artwork."

He hopes that when people see his Swinpup they will get a clear message.

"I want them to take away the fact that they have to treat people equally," he said.

"No matter ethnicity, belief, religion you have to treat people equally and fairly."

The Big Dog Art Trail will run from the 15 July to 3 September.