THE COLOURS of Rugby have gone on display at the town’s train station.
The Rugby Colour Palette, a new piece of community inspired artwork, has been unveiled at the station to help promote the character of the town.
Funded by Avanti West Coast Project Fund, the Heart of England Community Rail Partnership worked with artist Stacey Barnfield from Draw My City to develop the project.
The colours were chosen from suggestions made during a public consultation, the aim of which was to get respondents to celebrate their hometown.
At its heart were a number of school and community workshops delivered by Ruby Road, a Warwickshire based storytelling collective, and its creative producer Jo Chalkblack.
Stacey created three colour palettes with the themes History and Heritage, Creativity and Culture, and Industry and Innovation. The colours chosen are a mix of direct references, suggestions from the public, and more thought-provoking choices designed to encourage conversation.
The colours include Market Apple, inspired by Rugby’s history as a market town since its establishment in 1255.
Another, School Days Brown, was chosen to represent the 1857 novel Tom Brown’s School Days by Thomas Hughes, which is set at Rugby School.
And Webb Ellis Bronze was inspired by the bronze-cast statue of William Webb Ellis by sculptor Graham Ibbeson, which was installed outside Rugby School in 1997.
Stacey Barnfield said: “I’ve learnt so much about Rugby, a town steeped in history and full of character.
“The colours hopefully tell just some of the story, and I’d encourage anyone who has yet to visit to consider jumping on the train and enjoying some time here.”
Sarah Sheldon, Station Manager for Avanti West Coast at Rugby, added: “Rugby is one of our key stations on the West Coast Main Line. But outside of those who live here, very few are aware of its wonderful character and history.
“We hope the new colour palette will help share the town’s story and encourage more people to visit.”
To help launch The Rugby Colour Palette, Mayor Maggie O’Rourke was joined by schoolchildren from Riverside Academy and Rugby Free Primary at the station, who enjoyed an immersive art workshop led by the Community Rail Partnership.
Julia Singleton-Tasker, Lead Officer for Heart of England Community Rail Partnership, said: “It was great to see the transformation that the colour palette has brought to the subway and to see the reactions on everyone’s faces when they saw it for the first time.
“The passion for Rugby has shone through since day one, and I’d like to thank all those who have played their part in bringing The Rugby Colour Palette to life.”
Visit https://tinyurl.com/48cfty9n for more information on the Rugby Colour Palette.
