The idea for a legacy arts project first took shape in 2016, while I was working with a local high school to create artworks for a display across my hometown. That art trail became the spark for something bigger and more ambitious- a project that could inspire young artists further afield to explore their creativity and the places they call home. 

A wider audience 

The project also grew out of a desire to reach a wider public audience with my own work, as an alternative to traditional gallery routes, which have become harder to access for many artists amid shrinking budgets and fewer exhibition opportunities in recent years. 

A voice for young artists

I feel truly privileged to be working with art students through Routes to Roots — young creatives who are still discovering their own voice, and who now have a genuine opportunity to develop their practice and exhibit their work in a public setting for all to see. The students are celebrating the places they live, observing through a lens of past, present and future, thinking about what their hometown means to them. 

The work created by these talented young artists speaks for itself - now on display at three train stations along the transpennine train route, uplifting the daily commute for hundreds of visitors along their journey. 

First-time artists, first big moments

Many of the students involved had never created a piece of art to a set brief before, often completing the work in their own time alongside a full academic workload. Seeing one student's reaction to having her artwork displayed on a large sign above the entrance of her local train station is a moment I won't forget — these are the experiences that make the project worthwhile. Opportunities like this simply didn't exist when I was at school, and I know how much a platform like this would have meant to me at that age.

The power of art 

Work produced through Routes to Roots so far spans many different interpretations of the submission brief including iconic landscapes, architecture and portraits of local figures and family members, some of it moving enough to bring me to tears. One student created a piece in memory of her late mother, describing in her artist statement how the painting captured the essence of love and loss — with a depiction of a dove representing her grief being carried away.

Looking ahead

As Routes to Roots continues to grow and develop, I hope to encourage more young artists to take that first step and push themselves forward, to try something out of their comfort zone. We will be heading towards Leeds with the next phase of the project, covering stations including Huddersfield, Dewsbury and Garforth. 

We have ambitious plans for the next stations along the route, and  I look forward to providing a spark of inspiration to more young artists as they navigate their next steps towards a fulfilling creative future.

Do You Know Any Talented Young Artists? 

Click the link for more information about the project and getting involved, if you know of any young artists from Greater Manchester or West Yorkshire who would be interested in getting involved, we would love to hear from you. Get in touch here hello@chriscyprus.com 

Thanks to our sponsors the Transpennine Route Upgrade for funding this worthwhile project. Watch the ITV News feature about Routes to Roots Project at Ashton Station here 🔗