New public art commission to transform Chantry Street in Andover
Test Valley Borough Council has launched a new public art commission to create a striking mural or series of artworks on Chantry Street, adding to the town’s growing collection of vibrant street art and giving young people a voice in shaping their town centre.
The project, agreed by Andover Councillors, will include replacing the existing street art on the Chantry Centre service yard wall, which has sadly deteriorated due to damp within the wall. The much-loved artwork by local artist, Hendog, has been a popular feature of the street, and the council recognises its importance to the community. Despite efforts to protect it, the Hendog artwork has deteriorated faster than anticipated. The Council will be taking steps to address the underlying damp issues in the wall ahead of the creation of the new artwork.
The new commission offers an exciting opportunity to build on the legacy of the Hendog artwork and forms part of a wider programme to enliven underused and overlooked spaces in the town, such as alleyways, underpasses, car parks and pedestrian walkways. By transforming these areas, the council aims to create welcoming routes into the town that encourage footfall and reflect Andover’s unique character. There will be more opportunities for other groups to work with artists on similar projects as other sites are identified.
Working with young people from four local organisations - Yellow Brick Road Projects, Koala, Andover Young Carers and Breakout Youth - the chosen artist will co-design and create a mural or series of artworks to celebrate Andover’s local identity, bringing colour and life to voices from the town’s past, present and future. A planning application for the artwork will be submitted once an artist has been appointed.
Lisa Hall, Youth Worker Lead at Breakout Youth, said: “Our young people think this is a great opportunity for them to be able to express themselves through something they feel very comfortable with, art.”
Cllr Phil North, Leader of Test Valley Borough Council, said: “Public art brings life and personality to our town centres. This commission is about more than replacing a damaged artwork - it’s about creating something new that reflects Andover’s story and gives young people a chance to shape the place they call home. We’d love to see talented artists come forward to reimagine this stretch of wall.”
Cllr Iris Andersen, councillor for St. Mary’s Ward in Andover, added: “I care deeply about making our town centre welcoming and inclusive by listening and responding to the needs of our community, and this project reflects that commitment. For this pilot project, we’re giving young people the chance to express themselves through art, which I’m thrilled about. I’m excited to see this come to fruition - it’s a fantastic opportunity to build on the legacy of the Hendog artwork, giving a voice to our young people and creating something that will inspire and involve our community for years to come.”
The opportunity has been advertised across local and national artists platforms, and artists interested in applying can find full details at https://testvalley.gov.uk/communityandleisure/artsandculture/publicart/public-art-commission-brief-chantry-street-andover or contact Rebecca Maddox, Cultural Events Curator, at rmaddox@testvalley.gov.uk. The deadline for applications is Monday 15 December 2025.