“We are together” spearheads the foundation’s campaign to support young people in london during coronavirus

STIK has unveiled a new artwork entitled We Are Together on London’s iconic 783 square metre Piccadilly Lights as part of Young Westminster Foundation’s (YWF)’s new flagship campaign to support young people during the coronavirus.

The central message of ‘We Are Together’ is displayed against the backdrop of Piccadilly Lights, both a neighbourhood hangout and iconic global landmark. STIK’s figures rotate around the famous curved screen portraying young people living in the heart of London, holding hands as a beacon of hope and connectedness with the rest of the world. The artwork appears until next week with hourly full screen dominations.

There is a hidden need in Westminster, with one in three young people growing up in poverty in the borough and thousands of young people there have no access to the internet: missing out on education, youth services and staying in touch with family and friends. The campaign hopes to raise much needed funds to help young people get online, stay connected and access support during the coronavirus crisis.

The Piccadilly Lights is owned by Landsec and operated by Ocean who donated the space to the charity. The campaign was planned and executed by out of home specialist Posterscope and Liveposter.

Philip Barron, CEO of YWF, said: “It’s brilliant to see London’s iconic Piccadilly Lights acting as a local noticeboard during this crisis, right in the heart of Westminster. We hope this campaign reassures young people that support is available from local youth workers and youth organisations. As a small charity based just around the corner from the Piccadilly Lights, we are grateful to all who have helped make this happen, including STIK, Ocean Outdoor Posterscope, Liveposter and Total Media. I would also like to extend a huge thank you to all youth workers working tirelessly to support and inspire young people in Westminster and across the UK’.

Ocean joint managing director Phil Hall added: “Out of home has always provided a great canvas for exceptional creativity, so where better to debut STIK’s digital artwork than London’s famous Piccadilly Lights. Out of home continues to play an important role in our communities despite the challenges brought about by Coronavirus, and it’s rewarding to be able to use screens like the Piccadilly Lights to support good causes such as the Young Westminster Foundation campaign.”

STIK is known for some of the largest public murals in London, New York and Tokyo and is one of the handful of street artists to have made the leap into the international fine art establishment. His works are on display in public and private collections around the world but STIK has always maintained loyalty to his roots staging regular charitable initiatives, most notably the NHS and various homeless charities. STIK continues his muralism and activism around the world and is still based in Hackney where he painted his first unofficial murals more than 20 years ago.

YWF is a cross-sector partnership of member and partner organisations who have the shared vision for all young people in the borough of Westminster, London, to grow up healthy, safe and happy with the best opportunities for brighter futures. YWF’s 100 members range from large youth clubs to smaller grass roots organisations; all driven by their passion to provide support services that give life changing support to Westminster’s young people.

Donations to the YWF We Are Together campaign can be made at www.ywfoundation.com/donatenow

Support for young people in Westminster is available from local youth organisations. Visit www.ywfoundation.com/help to access & find out more.

Credit: STIK Studio

Credit: STIK Studio

Credit: STIK Studio

Credit: STIK Studio

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