The mural will be highlighted across London in advance of the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) this month

A brightly coloured murla in an urban setting — The highly commended entry. Photo: Grantham Institute

A Barnet youngster’s design for a climate mural has been highly commended as part of a national competition with over 1,100 entrants.

The Grantham Institute – Climate Change and the Environment at Imperial College London – a leading authority on climate and environmental science – and Octopus Energy gave young people the chance to design public art on the theme of ‘Palette for the Planet: a greener, cleaner, cooler, future’, inspired by the Grantham Institute’s 9 things you can do about climate change. The winning designs were painted by local professional artists.

12-year old Barnet resident Aaryan Prabhaker designed a mural which was painted by artists Karla Rosales Garcia and Roger Rigol at Pump House Lane, Nine Elms SW8 4DG.

Aaryan’s mural will feature in an outdoor exhibition close to the revamped Battersea Power Station, on billboards across London and on the tube network ahead of the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) this month.

Almost 1,200 young people entered the competition. The murals give them the opportunity to tell the world’s leaders, through art, what we need to do to secure our planet for future generations. These actions depicted through art include reducing energy use and bills, expanding green travel, protecting nature and eating less meat and dairy.

The Grantham Climate Art Prize 2023 is organised by the world-leading Grantham Institute at Imperial College London and supported by renewable energy champion Octopus Energy and Ballymore.

Grantham Climate Art Prize Project Manager Linsey Wynton said: “The 2023 art prize has given young people a chance to draw attention to what a more sustainable world could look like. The finished murals, billboards and exhibition will depict their visions of the futures they want to see. Many people will pass these each day – hopefully they’ll be inspired by the scenarios they depict – from making our voices heard by those in power, to protecting nature, greening our actions and eating less meat and dairy and more plant-based foods.”

To see the 3 winning designs and 6 runner up designs from young people across the UK go to https://octopus.energy/grantham-art-prize-2023-winners/

To see examples of the billboards and outdoor exhibition of the 9 things you can do about climate change go to: https://granthaminstitute.com/2023/11/24/grantham-climate-art-prize-winning-murals-unveiled/

No news is bad news

Independent news outlets like ours – reporting for the community without rich backers – are under threat of closure, turning British towns into news deserts.

The audiences they serve know less, understand less, and can do less.

If our coverage has helped you understand our community a little bit better, please consider supporting us with a monthly, yearly or one-off donation.

Choose the news. Don’t lose the news.

Monthly direct debit

Annual direct debit

£5 per month supporters get a digital copy of each month’s paper before anyone else, £10 per month supporters get a digital copy of each month’s paper before anyone else and a print copy posted to them each month. £50 annual supporters get a digital copy of each month's paper before anyone else. £84 annual supporters get a print copy by post and a digital copy of each month's before anyone else.