Leeds Liverpool Canal: New artwork defaced with graffiti in 'hugely disappointing' act of vandalism

The artwork, on a wall in Armley in an area known as Botany Bay or Skinner’s Yard, featured colourful motifs of wildlife including swans, reeds, flowers and bees.

But this week, the charity behind the mural was devastated to discover that it had been covered with graffiti – although volunteers remained determined that the public would still be able to enjoy it.

The Canal and River Trust was behind the 25-foot artwork, which is the longest to be created along the Leeds Liverpool Canal. It’s on a busy and well used section of the attraction that is visited by thousands of boaters, walkers, runners and cyclists.

Sharron Bright, community inclusion coordinator at the charity, explained: “We’re hugely proud of this fantastic new waterside mural, made possible by European Interreg funding – so, this defacing is hugely disappointing and a real shame, not only for canal users but also the community, the artist and of course our funder.

“A year in the making, this mural is the final chapter in a three-year European funded ‘Isolation to Inclusion’ social prescribing project. Our aim was to help transform an unloved space into an eye-catching, heart-warming mural for the whole community to enjoy.

“We’ve been working with GPs and partners in West Yorkshire to help tackle isolation and loneliness, creating activities to bring people together, to introduce their local canal and to help share the mood-boosting benefits of being by water. We know how important being outdoors in nature, especially by water, can be to improve our mental health.”

She added: “There are many examples around our network where we have not had this kind of reaction to our street artworks - research shows that community street art discourages antisocial behaviour and tagging, and community artworks can help to break the cycle of graffiti and antisocial behaviour and cut the cost of cleaning up tags.

“Unfortunately, our mural been defaced but rather than ‘down tools’, this has inspired our charity and our volunteers to get the mural seen in other ways. The mural is an embodiment of how the canal contributes to wellbeing, so we want the majority of the community to be able to still enjoy it in whatever form that may be, whether on social media, a digital campaign, art boards along other parts of the canal or in other creative ways.

“Projects that tackle social isolation and get people active by the water help illustrate the importance of our canal network in today’s society and why, as a charity, we are working to keep canals alive for boaters, for local people and for wildlife and nature.”

Vandalism is just one of the ongoing challenges faced by the trust as it strives to keep canals alive, with a spend of £1m each year on removing graffiti from across its 2,000-mile canal network.

Graffiti and unsightly tagging can be a problem in hidden spots, particularly in urban areas. Because jet washing or painting over graffiti can result in a blank canvas for new vandalism, the trust invests in community-supported art that is usually left clear of tags.

The mural in Armley was created by 27-year-old illustrator and artist Jaydon Rowbottom. The design took inspiration from the artist’s own experience of waterways and his personal connection to the Leeds Liverpool Canal.

He said: “I’ve been aware of the work of the Canal and River Trust charity for some time, and I’ve always wanted to work with them. Being given this opportunity to showcase my work on such a scale is fantastic. Canals and rivers have been a constant presence in my life. My mum’s relatives lived on canal boats and my dad would often take us out canoeing and kayaking.

“I relocated to Leeds to study Graphic Art and Design at Leeds Beckett University in 2015, but it was only after graduating that I even realised there was a canal in the city. I needed a place to go to unwind and clear my mind – being able to walk along the towpath by the water really helped and still does.”