How can the entire city of Trelleborg be involved in the city's biggest and best artwork ever? Annika Börjesson from Trelleborgs Museum and Rikard Johansson from Streetcorner began outlining the project's implementation and how the motif would be developed through co-creation methods.
The experiences from previous projects proved valuable, and the participation of young people was emphasized. Questions were formulated: How do we create a strong sense of community, ignite creativity and engagement, so that pride in the city grows? How can we connect different networks, reach out, and work across generational boundaries? How can we create art together, come up with a meaningful motif, cover the 6-meter height of the wall, and in what artistic style should the painting be executed?
By creating positive rhetoric and motivation, finding avenues for participation in shaping the city's development, identifying important collaborative partners, and building fun and innovative workshops, all possibilities are available.
Sketch workshops took on experimental expressions that challenged all senses and had a playful feel. The themes of invention, design, and sustainability drew inspiration from DUX's creators and history. These exercises would prepare the young participants for the large-scale painting, covering aspects such as color theory, proportions, composition, lighting, analysis, painting with their whole bodies, and finding the flow.
Site-specific spaces were to be created with unexpected happenings that offered entirely new experiences—a world of their own, with inclusive spaces that fostered creativity and ensured that everyone could create according to their abilities. The participants produced important sketches that would serve as the foundation for the actual painting.
The size of the wall, combined with the dream of many participants, led to thoughts of a world record. The existing record was not impressive: a world record for a co-created mural painting, with 3,000 people each painting a small pixel on a large hamburger. The dream of something better grew, the World's Greatest Collective Mural, and the future's public everyday space.
Practical aspects such as COVID-19 safety, documentation, and structure were determined. Outreach activities resulted in many positive meetings, where associations, youth centers, and businesses expressed their desire to participate and contribute. An especially important collaboration partner became the KRETS project, led by Anna Pauli, which focuses on youth-driven urban culture in Trelleborg.