Station Hill’s momentous artworks are more than striking landmarks - they are stories told with the people of Reading.

From the outset, the Station Hill Public Art Programme was built on meaningful community engagement. Over 20 members of the Public Art Advisory Group - from councillors and cultural leaders to local heritage experts - worked alongside Futurecity and the commissioned artists to ensure each artwork reflected Reading’s identity.

Residents, schools, groups and local community members took part in workshops, public calls, and hands-on collaboration.

SEED by Rachael Champion & Jonathan Trayte features bronze reliefs of seeds nominated by locals, magnified at the Natural History Museum and cast by hand.

Royals, Residents & a Rock Festival and Rivers, Ruins & Regency by Kev Munday & Stuart Melrose draw on 100+ community contributions and 30 school workshops, blending history, humour, and heritage into animated murals.

PIVOTAL by NEON reflects adaptability and collective identity, inspired by conversations about Reading’s future.

The Station Hill Public Art Programme shows how community co-creation can elevate public art beyond aesthetics into a true expression of place. By embedding local voices - from schoolchildren’s sketches to residents’ seed stories - into the creative process, each artwork becomes a living record of Reading’s identity, rooted in its history yet looking to the future.

This approach not only celebrates the unique character of the town, but also fosters a shared sense of ownership and civic pride, ensuring that the artworks are embraced as part of everyday life. In doing so, Station Hill sets a benchmark for how meaningful engagement can shape places that people feel part of - and proud of.

Photography by the artists & Altay Dogahan