Children get animated about library mural

Murals painted on the wall of the Children's Library form a lasting legacy of the Rochdale Literature and Ideas Festival

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Artists have been harnessing schoolchildren’s imagination and creativity to craft cheerful wall murals at Rochdale Central Library to form a lasting legacy to last year’s first Rochdale Literature and Ideas Festival.

Councillor Peter Williams, Cabinet Member for Economic Development and Customer Services, said: “It’s great to see children delving into the world of books and using their imaginations to create something that will stand as a testament to the lasting legacy of the Rochdale Literature and Ideas Festival for years to come.”

In October 2013 artists Vincent James, Alison Cooper and Sam McLoughlin worked with young people during the festival to make a stop-motion animation inspired by poems written by Rochdale schoolchildren.

The children created cut-out collages of books transforming into animals, characters, plants and machines. Using these collages Vincent James designed the mural, The Secret Life of Books, for the children’s library. In the mural the children’s colourful collages rise up in thought bubbles like ideas from the bookshelves.

Mr James said: “I think the mural highlights the imagination and creativity of the young people of the borough. The children's library is a great site for the mural as it illustrates how the books and stories it contains can inspire young readers to be creative."