Renowned street artists, currently featuring in the internationally-recognised Vanguard Street Exhibition, at Bristol’s M Shed, are lending their talents to help raise money for a new skatepark in Bradford on Avon, Wiltshire.

Artists such as Will Barras, Mr Jago, China Mike and Inkie, have joined with locally based illustrators and artists to donate artwork, mostly decorated skate decks, for an online auction via GalaBid.

The bidding will start at 6pm on September 4 and ends at 10pm on Sunday, September 19.

Prior to the auction, the pieces will go on show at Avonworks House, Kingston Road, Bradford On Avon, BA15 1AB, with a private view launch event (by invitation) on Saturday, September 4, starting at 6pm, which includes a DJ set by Boca 45.

This will be followed by an open exhibition on Sunday, September 5, from 11am-4pm.

Skate BoA spokesperson, town councillor Kate Bessant said: We are really grateful that so many brilliant artists have donated their work to the project. We hope to raise thousands of pounds from the auction, to bring us closer to our target of building the new skatepark that Bradford on Avon so desperately needs."

The campaign was started by local resident Carl Jones, whose skater son, Idris, went to the Town Council to ask for a new skatepark, after the old ramps were demolished with no plans to replace.

Town Councillors confirmed in January 2020 that the new facility would sit on the same site as the original skatepark, which was removed in early 2018 following long-term maintenance problems and subsequent vandalism, (see photo), which led to the site being declared unsafe by its owner, Wiltshire Council.

Russ Holbert is Director of Maverick Industries, the company selected in 2019 to manage the project and build the new park. They have delivered successful parks around the UK, including several high-profile projects in Wiltshire.

Auction site - www.galabid.com/artdecko Instagram @bradfordonavonskatepark/