Giant Capital of Culture mural planned for airport

Aug 28 2007 by David Higgerson, Liverpool Daily Post

LIVERPOOL’S John Lennon Airport is to get a 300 metre-long mural as part of the city’s Capital of Culture celebrations.

A £500,000 makeover is due to get under way at the airport ahead of 08, in an attempt to give visitors the best possible first impression of the region when they touch down.

The main element of the pro- ject is the mural, which artist and illustrator John McFaul has been commissioned to create.

He won the contract for the mural, worth £60,000, back in December when Barry Jenkins, founder of the firm JLA hired for its makeover, attended one of McFaul’s talks.

The mural will feature images of Liverpool, Chester, Manchester, Blackpool and the Lake District and is described as “creating a flowing story and journey through the North West.” It has been designed using the same palette of colour the Capital of Culture materials will use during 08.

It will be completed at the end of September and be unveiled on November 14. It won’t feature any Capital of Culture logos, as it is expected to remain at the airport for the next decade

The five areas included in the mural have been chosen because they are being marketed as the North West’s “attack brands”, the ones which will get the most promotion because people are likely to instantly recognise them.

Beverley Wood, a director at Broome Jenkins, the company brought in to do the work, said: “There are a lot of people involved, including Liverpool City Council, the Northwest Development Agency, which is funding the project, and the Culture Company in Liverpool.

“They are filtering the five brands in their different ways.

“We convinced them not to go for a corporate style, using photography, but to go for McFaul’s illustration instead.”

Other parts of the project include plasma screens on board the buses which shuttle passengers from planes to the terminal. Those screens will show videos of the region’s main areas along with parts of the mural, and the footage is being put together by Liverpool’s River Media.

The seven buses will also receive “wraps” based on the murals.

Broome Jenkins have also designed new lounge areas with tables, carpet tiles and wall decorations all of which will feature the 08 logo.

Davidhiggerson