The artists wanted to reflect Enfield’s diversity in the work made using paint that would have otherwise gone to waste

The mural at Dugdale Arts Centre (credit NLWA) — The mural painted by Alec Saunders at Dugdale Arts Centre (credit NLWA)

A series of murals have been unveiled at Dugdale Arts Centre in Enfield Town – by making use of reclaimed paint.

The unique project is the result of a collaboration between the Dugdale and North London Waste Authority (NLWA). The wall murals, decorating several spaces inside the arts centre, were created by local artists and feature reclaimed paint sourced by NLWA from the Forest Recycling Project in Walthamstow.

The reclaimed paint was leftover and unused paint that North London residents had left at reuse and recycling centres or donated to the Community RePaint Scheme. By using reclaimed paint in such stunning artwork, the artists and the team at Dugdale have shown the “hidden value” in a material that is often throw away.

The four artists – Alec Saunders, Leanne Ingram, Chikaora Obiora and Laura McKendry – all took inspiration from the local community in their work, reflecting Enfield’s diversity and commitment to sustainability.

Artist Chikaora Obiora in front of her mural (credit NLWA)

NLWA chair Clyde Loakes said: “Seeing discarded paint used in such a beautiful piece of artwork shows that you only need a little bit of creativity to make second-hand items look brand new.”

Over 50 million litres of paint goes to waste each year in the UK, enough to fill 20 Olympic swimming pools, much of which could be avoided through reuse. Residents can drop off or collect reclaimed paint for free at most reuse and recycling centres, including the new facility at Edmonton Eco Park which opened last year.

For more information on how to donate and pick up reclaimed paint:
Visit nwla.gov.uk/paint reuse

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