The Right To Skate

Created in collaboration with Leeds’ skate community, this mural was shaped through consultation sessions at Welcome Skate Store and LS-Ten, with a particular focus on the experiences of female skaters within a traditionally male-dominated space. Through these conversations, the project evolved beyond the mural itself into a wider campaign advocating for the surrounding area at Leeds Dock to become a skatable and accessible space for the community.

Many of the women and girls involved spoke about feeling pushed out of public spaces or moved on by property owners, often leaving them skating in areas where they felt less safe. In response, I wanted the artwork to feel both powerful and beautiful - reflecting the confidence, freedom and sense of identity that skating gave to the people involved, while helping champion the importance of inclusive public spaces where women and girls felt welcome.

The skateboard deck design features iconic skate spots across Leeds - from Hyde Park and Henry Moore Steps to Hibiscus Rising - flowing down to Leeds Dock, where the mural now lives, while stickers celebrate the groups and organisations shaping the city’s contemporary skate scene.