Sofia swaps displaying art on fridge to enter bid for giant artwork mural

Five-year-old Sofia McKerr has swapped displaying her artwork on the family fridge for something much bigger – hopefully displaying her work in a giant mural planned for Rochdale town centre.

The budding artist, of Langley, Middleton, has answered Rochdale Development Agency's request for 88 budding artists to have their work featured on the side of 21 Baillie Street for the next year.

All the images have to depict what Rochdale means to the sender and can be a drawing, painting, photograph, craft item - or even a piece of knitting - and is open to everybody from novices to more experienced artists. 

Sofia is a pupil of St Mary’s RC Primary School in Langley and loves drawing trees, which feature heavily in her submission which she painted at a socially distanced summer playscheme at Demesne Community Centre in Middleton.

Mum Rebecca McKerr explained: “Sofia loves painting and art. Our fridge is covered with her drawings. She’s very creative.

“I’ve been working from home during Covid-19 and she’ll sit next to me while I’m working and draw.

“We visit Rochdale town centre and are looking forward to seeing the new shopping centre.

“The 21 Baillie Street initiative is a brilliant idea. It’s fun. If Sofia’s artwork was included all our friends and family would go and see it.

“2020 will be the year of social distancing and Sofia sums it up as her painting was done at a social distanced play scheme as she had her own paints and equipment.”

As well as being a celebration of the best bits of Rochdale, it’s hoped the transformation of 21 Baillie Street will become a magnet to entice people back into the town centre in the same way that the Dippy the Dinosaur exhibition attracted more than 100,000 visitors when it was displayed at Number One Riverside.

The ‘Find Your Space’ art project is a multi-agency initiative led by Rochdale Development Agency and also involves Rochdale Borough Council; Action Together, Link4Life, Rochdale Business Improvement District (Rochdale BID); and Marketing Manchester.

Anyone with a link to Rochdale can submit an entry, and it’s hoped some famous Rochdalians will also take part.

For more details of how to take part and the full terms and conditions, go to:

• investinrochdale.co.uk/working-living/find-your-space