A BRAND new public art installation in a Keswick subway is being officially opened on Wednesday by author and radio presenter Eric Robson.

The artwork is a large scale, permanent ceramics mural on both sides of the pedestrian subway running from Lake Road in Keswick towards Hope Park, Theatre by the Lake and the lake shore. The design, created by artist Penny Hampson and pupils from Keswick School, reflects the natural landscapes of Derwentwater and Borrowdale, seen from the Derwentwater Foreshore, and is the result of several months of work and several weeks of installation by a team of tilers and volunteers, in partnership with Cumbria County Council, which owns and manages the structure, and Keswick Town Council.

Naomi Hewitt, Derwentwater Foreshore Project Co-ordinator, says: “It was really exciting to see the artwork gradually appearing on the walls, and also to see people’s incredibly positive responses to the mural as it was being constructed. Penny and the pupils from Keswick School have done a great job, and we hope the images will really inspire people as they walk through the subway.” The artwork is the part of the Heritage Lottery-funded Derwentwater Foreshore Project, a partnership between site owners, local people, and conservation organisations who came together to restore the site, improve long-term management and increase opportunities for the appreciation and interpretation of its unique heritage.

The Foreshore stretches from the subway leading from the town centre, down to the boat landings and along to Friars Crag. It is recognised as a world-class landscape, visited by thousands of visitors and locals each year, but one that was deteriorating under pressure and desperately needing restoration. The opening event is also celebrating the work carried out across the whole site- including a large scale re-landscaping project to improve the whole site for visitors, make it more accessible and introduce new interpretation to help people find out about its natural and cultural heritage.

The event will take place at 11am on Wednesday June 27, next to the new café on Hope Park Green outside the subway. The Mayor and Mayoress of Keswick will also be present to help unveil the mural.