Miguel H. Cuar shares his Great Baddow Mural Story

Concrete Canvas: Reimagined has been an incredible experience all around, an exceptional project that has allowed me to learn through the Great Baddow community.

From the meetings at Bubu’s Café with the different groups learning about their family history and their ties with the area, to seeing how the youth wanted to focus and include important values that would resonate with every member of the community, to all the small details I could pick up from a walk around town, the local flowers, the patterns in the old buildings, etc.

Representing all those important bits of culture, knowledge and history has taken me to new paths in my creative journey, for example I had never painted birds in a realistic approach, but since the bird watching community is so big in the area I had to include some, and that was a new exercise for me. I ́ve also had the pleasure of being assisted by local artist Tyler, whose help was crucial to finishing this gigantic wall.

He wanted to step into the world of muralism, and I offered my knowledge and insights. I couldn’t finish without saying that being hosted by Gavin and Beccy at their house made an incredible difference to the experience; I truly became part of the community for a week.

I could hear the birds in the morning on my walk to the wall, I could see people playing cricket, padel and tennis in the fields next to the mural in the afternoons, I chatted along daily with all the dogwalkers and passers-by. This was one of my biggest projects this year so far, but you know how it goes: the bigger the project, the bigger the reward.

I take home some amazing memories, and hopefully, with my efforts, I left a mural there that represents the warmth and life I felt in Great Baddow.


Written by commissioned artist, Miguel H. Cuar, who was selected from over 200 applicants by a community panel, to collaborate with Bubu's Community Hub, in Great Baddow.

This mural is one of four, co-created with communities across the district of Chelmsford in 2026, as part of Concrete Canvas: Reimagined.

Concrete Canvas: Reimagined is part of the Young Cultural Changemakers Programme, produced by Culture Chelmsford and SPARK!, in collaboration with Chelmsford For You & Concrete Canvas, funded by Arts Council England, Anglia Ruskin University, Chelmsford City Council, Chelmsford College, Chelmsford For You, Great Baddow Parish Council, Mister Gees Foundation and sponsored by Alfreshco, Community RePaint, Thirst Drinks Syndicate and Wickes.