The University of Suffolk’s waterfront campus in Ipswich is now home to East Anglia’s largest mural, a striking artwork titled From Ipswich with Love. Spanning an impressive 640 square metres on the James Hehir Building, the mural is the centrepiece of the inaugural Wild Walls Festival, a celebration of urban art and community creativity.
The mural, created by artist ATMA in collaboration with local residents, reflects Ipswich’s community spirit. Workshops held with residents influenced its design, which aims to encapsulate the town’s vibrancy and warmth.
ATMA described the mural as “a love letter from Ipswich to the world,” adding that the collaborative effort behind the project made it particularly meaningful.
The Wild Walls Festival
Wild Walls, a four-week street art festival, transformed Ipswich into a hub of creativity. Produced by Art Eat Events CIC and The Subversiv Collective, the event featured large-scale murals, workshops, an art fair, and a VR graffiti exhibition. It also introduced an urban art trail throughout the town.
The festival received support from local organisations and was funded by the Arts Council of England and Ipswich Borough Council. Nigel Ball, Head of Arts at the University of Suffolk, said the university was proud to contribute: “The mural is a positive and colourful addition to the Waterfront and a testament to the power of art to engage communities.”
Meeting Unique Challenges
The scale of the project, coupled with its location on Ipswich’s waterfront, posed significant logistical challenges. To enable safe and efficient work at height, Star Platforms provided a Niftylift HR28 Hybrid articulating boom lift.
This advanced piece of equipment offered a working height of 28 metres and an outreach of up to 16 metres, allowing the artist and team to navigate the expansive wall with precision. Its hybrid design also ensured reduced emissions and quiet operation, aligning with environmental considerations.
Wild Walls Lead Producer Iona Hodgson praised the equipment’s role in the mural’s success: “The Niftylift HR28 proved indispensable. We nicknamed it ‘Shifty the Nifty Lift’ because of how reliable and flexible it was during the project.”
A Collaborative Triumph
The mural’s completion is being hailed as a significant milestone for Ipswich. Volunteers, local residents, and the festival team all contributed to the effort, which brought together art and community in a unique way.
As Ipswich embarks on its urban art journey with the Wild Walls Festival, the mural stands as a lasting symbol of creativity, collaboration, and local pride. For more information about our suite of powered access products, please contact Star Platforms or visit our website.
