The Mayor of Waltham Forest, Councillor Christopher Robbins CBE, celebrated the borough’s creative talent on Friday, June 7, unveiling artwork designed by local students at L&Q’s new housing development, The Chain in Walthamstow.

L&Q, one of the UK’s leading charitable housing associations, is delivering 518 one, two and three-bedroom apartments alongside a new community park at The Chain, which is just off Walthamstow High Street and forms part of the regeneration of the St James Quarter.

Created by 13 art and design students from Leyton Sixth Form College, the artwork will enliven the site’s hoardings while the new homes are being built.

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The former home of renowned Victorian designer, William Morris, Waltham Forest boasts a thriving arts and creative scene, seeing it awarded the status of the Mayor of London’s first London Borough of Culture 2019. The event on Friday recognised the talents of the next generation in Waltham Forest, suggesting a bright future for the area’s young artists and designers.

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The students from Leyton Sixth Form College, which promotes the importance of creative and cultural education, were given a taste of what life would be like as a professional designer, forming their own mock design agency with L&Q as their client. Their brief was to create artwork for The Chain which celebrates Waltham Forest and illustrates what makes it a great place to live. The vibrant designs featured local talent like David Beckham, who was born in Leytonstone. Several also showcased Waltham Forest’s great cycling connections, reflecting the council’s investment in local cycle networks and the new cycling provisions being delivered by L&Q at The Chain.

As well as being a celebration of the pupils’ achievements, the event launched The Chain E17, marking L&Q’s contribution to the E17 Art Trail. The trail, which runs from Saturday, June 1, to Sunday, June 16, will see more than 8,500 artists and Waltham Forest residents exhibit their work in every corner of the borough, bringing Waltham Forest alive with colour and design for the festival’s fifteenth birthday.