A world-renowned street artist has unveiled a vibrant new wall mural in the heart of Chesterfield town centre.
Peachzz drew inspiration from Chesterfield Market and the borough’s heritage to create the breath-taking artwork, called ‘Local’, which covers the entire side of the Pavements Shopping Centre and welcomes visitors coming into the market place.
‘Local’ depicts a selection of objects which reflect what can be found on Chesterfield Market but also references local history. Features include a shire horse which was used to collect rubbish from the market, a cattle brass which references the historic cattle market site and a pomegranate which features in the Borough crest. The use of hands aims to invoke the idea of trade.
Peachzz said: “My concept was to have all these ideas and stories that I’ve heard shown through items that I’d bought from the market, so there’s loads of these little stories within it but overall, it aims to support all these small businesses and traders that make up this town.
“The reception has been amazing. We’ve had no end of people coming and stopping us to say hello and telling us how much they like it. It’s been really heartwarming and encouraging when painting in the rain but also shows the impact that art pieces have on public spaces.”
Peachzz worked with the local community to develop the concept for the mural hosting a drop-in session on the Market for members of the public to share their ideas and stories, visiting a local school to hear their ideas and speaking to market traders about what they think the mural should include.
The mural was created using masonry paint to form the market stall background, before spray paints were applied to build up the detailed design. Peachzz used a “doodle grid” technique — a mapping system that allows artists to scale up their designs accurately on large walls. The grid acts as a guide, showing where each element and colour should be placed, ensuring the final artwork retains its precision and vibrancy at scale.
The new mural is funded through Chesterfield Borough Council’s Animate Chesterfield programme which will create new artworks and activities throughout the regeneration projects happening in both Chesterfield and Staveley.
Councillor Kate Sarvent, Chesterfield Borough Council’s cabinet member for town centres and visitor economy, said: “This is an exceptional piece of artwork which reflects our town’s history but also helps create a new vibrant welcome for visitors. The mural is already getting a positive reception with lots of people visiting the town centre to watch its creation. I know it will be a source of inspiration for many of our residents, and they will enjoy seeing this sight for many years to come.”
Peachzz is a contemporary street artist from Sheffield, she discovered spray painting in the forgotten industrial sites of the UK and Europe, channelling her creativity into breathing life into walls.
Her work often explores and celebrates themes of nature, life and community, set against the stark concrete of urban spaces. With each mural she aims to evoke an emotional response and ensure her work feels rooted in its surroundings.
With a storytelling approach, she creates art that resonates with both the local communities and visitors. She is an extremely confident painter of large-scale projects. Her style is expressive, with hints of realism all while experimenting with positive themes and a bold colour palette.
Peachzz has travelled with her work all over Europe and has painted as far away as the USA, Colombia, Mexico and the Middle East.
Her mural ‘Reverie’ in Sheffield, is #2 Best Mural in the World 2024 with Street Art Cities.
Animate Chesterfield is being delivered by Beam, a leading cultural development organisation in collaboration with Chesterfield Borough Council, the programme has included the appointment of an artist in residence to engage residents and visitors with Chesterfield town centre, a Christmas window trail and further projects are planned including the creation of a Heritage Arts Trail, a town centre projection mapping project, and a new sculpture for Staveley town centre.
Communities are at the heart of the programme and will shape, influence and participate throughout, ensuring that it is an authentic celebration of the place.
Funding for the public art project was secured through planning agreements as part of the council’s percent for art scheme, which was part of the previous Local Plan (and now continues on a voluntary basis), and the funding must be used for the delivery of public artTo find out more about the Animate programme, visit: www.chesterfield.gov.uk/animat
