A brand-new public art trail has launched this week in Huyton Village. Art Around Huyton which has been created by internationally renowned artist Martin Heron, celebrates the rich heritage, stories and community spirit of Huyton.
Commissioned by Knowsley Council, the trail features two distinctive elements – Hands Around Huyton and Family Circle which are linked together by a decorative coded pattern that must be decoded with a special cipher to uncover the artwork’s secret messages.
The trail begins at Family Circle, a striking red steel gateway sculpture located at Huyton Rail Station which is inspired by the iconic biscuit tins of the former Huntley & Palmer factory. Developed with input from local communities, the circular design reflects themes of unity, belonging and shared identity, while the intricate stainless-steel patterns invite exploration and discovery. The sculpture will be illuminated in a spectrum of bright colours at night time, lighting the way for residents and visitors to the village.
At the heart of the trail is Hands Around Huyton, a series of twelve bronze casts depicting the hands of local people holding objects that represent their connection to Huyton. Each piece was cast at a series of community workshops held in June 2024, where participants also helped to shape the concept of a family-friendly art trail with an interactive puzzle element. Over one hundred casts were made by local people and twelve were selected to be cast in bronze for the final trail.
Visitors are encouraged to scan QR codes on each artwork to access an online cipher to decode the hidden symbols, revealing the individual stories behind each cast and deepening their understanding of Huyton’s cultural and historical identity.
Artist Martin Heron said:
“Working on Art Around Huyton has been a truly collaborative experience. By engaging with local groups and listening to their stories, we have created artworks that reflect the pride people have in their community. This trail is about celebrating those connections and making something that residents can feel a real sense of ownership over.”
Cllr Shelley Powell, Cabinet Member for Communities and Neighbourhoods at Knowsley Council said: “Public art plays a vital role in brightening up our spaces and making them more welcoming, but it also does so much more than that. It helps reflect the history of an area, tells the stories of the people who live there, and creates opportunities for communities to come together, and that is exactly what has happened here in Huyton.
Art Around Huyton is a fantastic example of how creativity can capture the spirit of a place and inspire pride in where we live and everyone who played a part in bringing this project to life, should feel extremely proud.
Martin Heron has already created notable artworks for the borough, including the Gateway artworks in Prescot, inspired by the town’s cable-making history. This new artwork trail in Huyton adds to Huyton’s existing portfolio of artworks which include a series of striking murals throughout the village by renowned mural artists such as John Culshaw, and Jo Peel, as well as the Edward Lear-inspired alphabet trail at Knowsley Leisure and Culture Park.
Residents and visitors are invited to explore the Art Around Huyton, uncover its hidden codes and discover the stories that make Huyton unique.
Art Around Huyton has been supported through a range of funding streams, including funding from UK Government which was specifically allocated to deliver a public art trail across Huyton. Additional support has been provided through Borough of Culture Legacy Investment funding, focused on cultural activity and Huyton Regeneration Funding which is aimed at enhancing the area and supporting its ongoing transformation.
Find out more about the trail here: Art Around Huyton – Culture Knowsley
