Rob Fenton - Creating crucial impact for city centre communities through art interventions.

Rob Fenton, artist, designer, muralist has built a reputation over the last 20 years as a champion of the transformative power of art in shaping the social fabric of cities and high streets.

At a glance

Location: Based in the iconic Roslyn Works in Longton and working across Stoke-on-Trent, the UK & internationally.

What he does: Rob Fenton develops, designs and creates mural projects on the high street, in city centre locations and beyond to provide a moment for people to experience art in their location, to alter their reality or inspire new thinking in a vibrant and welcoming way.

History: After graduating from the University of Staffordshire with a degree in Graphic Design, Rob has built a reputation over the last 20 years as a champion of the transformative power of art in shaping the social fabric of cities and high streets. With a passion for creativity, design and innovation, alongside a deep understanding of the power of art in fostering community engagement, Rob is dedicated to contributing to the regeneration of public & shared spaces.

Highlights:

• Graduated from the University of Staffordshire with a degree in Graphic Design over 20 years ago

• Rob’s work is often the first of its kind in the UK using pioneering techniques, unique project scopes and technical skills that can often have as much emphasis on engineering as art.

• Collaborated & designed the UK’s first Centenary mural called 100 Years, 100 Faces with Stoke-on-Trent City Centre BID and fellow artist Alistair Barnett.

• Designed & delivered the world’s first fully painted rollercoaster track art design with a team of engineers & artists.

• Rob’s interventions on the high street and urban areas are both groundbreaking and thought provoking, as well as inclusive of some of the best local talent and skills in the area.

Rob’s latest mural production in Longton, Stoke-on-Trent, alongside Ethan Lemon‍, Le Pèche Art‍ & ‍Alastair Barnet for Stoke-on-Trent City Council.

His Story

Rob calls his murals & pieces of art ‘interventions’ because they are just that, opportunities to change narrative, prompt new conversation and create spaces that become communal, shared or are changed by the very presence of something new, unfamiliar or different. His mural projects on the high street provide a moment for local residents and visitors alike, to experience art in their location, to alter their reality or inspire new thinking in a vibrant and welcoming way.

After graduating from the University of Staffordshire with a degree in Graphic Design, Rob has built a reputation over the last 20 years as a champion of the transformative power of art in shaping the social fabric of cities and high streets. With a passion for creativity, design and innovation, alongside a deep understanding of the power of art in fostering community engagement, Rob is dedicated to contributing to the regeneration of public & shared spaces. Although Rob works nationally and internationally, it is in the creative county of Staffordshire and from his studio at the Roslyn Works in Longton, that he hopes he can make the most significant positive impact on the aspirations of the next generation by demonstrating the power that street art can have on urban renewal and community cohesion.

Rob applies an innovative and collaborative approach to all his mural projects to ensure that his interventions on the high street and urban areas are both groundbreaking and thought provoking, as well as inclusive of some of the best local talent and skills in the area. Every project needs help. From creative direction and commissioning to innovative partnerships and bold vision, Rob’s interventions are created by teams. Collaborating with other artists and specialists is key to delivering dynamic work but these can’t be realised without high street partnerships, scaffolding expertise, digital support, street cleaning, videographers, tree surgeons, musicians and many more. Rob believes that contributing to high street regeneration is a community effort that can foster connections, promote dialogue and create new commercial opportunities & employment for other skills in the city and beyond. Rob actively collaborates with local organisations, government agencies and community members to identify spaces in need of revitalisation and to ensure that his artwork reflects the unique identity and aspirations of each neighbourhood or high street.

This work is always meaningful and often provokes emotion & conversation, giving the space for people to engage in their high street in a way that may not have been previously possible. This counters negative narratives about places, assumptions about opportunities and any lack of confidence that may exist as a result of unloved or declining locations. Rob’s work is often the first of its kind in the UK using pioneering techniques, unique project scopes and technical skills that can often have as much emphasis on engineering as art. A recent, and prominent, example, the 100 Years, 100 Faces Mural to celebrate 100 years of Stoke-on-Trent was unveiled in 2025. This project was a special collaboration with Alistair Barnett and Stoke-on-Trent City Centre BID to bring together the faces of key individuals from the last century who have made a significant contribution to the arts, industry,

community and beyond, in the city. The first of its kind in Britain, Rob led a team of people to use technology, portraiture and design to create a mural that has now been visited by tens of thousands of people from across the UK. The mural is not only a chance to raise the profile of a city centre so often overlooked, but also to raise the confidence of those engaging with it to visit again, take a new creative path or create their own change making networks. This is an example of the repeated ‘ripple effect’ that public art installations and murals have, far beyond the intervention itself.

Other high street impact examples of work that Rob has been part of over recent years has been a full building height mural for the centenary celebrations of iconic Stoke-on Trent founded brand Belstaff in Longton which not only shines a light on a home grown, internationally loved heritage brand, but also revitalises and prompts conversation again and again in the high streets of Longton. Rob has also been part of high street interventions that are being adopted by other high streets from Scotland to the south west. Artbox was an innovative partnership between BT and Rob, who developed a way of creating art on BT junction boxes to elevate the public realm and spark dialogue. Rob is now advising other high street partnerships about how to practically create vibrant art for good, that welcomes both local residents and visitors. Of course, Rob Fenton projects aren’t just about making spaces more vibrant or colourful, but they also depict local history, celebrate cultural diversity or advocate for social justice, often carrying a powerful message that resonates with the surrounding community.

Impact Data

• Collaborated, designed and painted UK’s first ever Centenary mural • 100 Years, 100 Faces has attracted 10,000 + visitors in the first year

• World’s first continual design & painted rollercoaster track

• UK’s first collaboration to paint BT junction boxes, now rolling out across the UK • Mural created for Internationally renowned brand Belfast’s Centenary