Bristol's Starry Pavement Art Gets a Durable Makeover in 2027!

In Bristol City Centre, a large and colorful piece of art on the pavement is set to be repainted next year. The artwork, called 'Our Common Ground,' was created last September on the ground where the fountains used to be. It features bright blue, red, yellow, and white star-shaped and circular patterns. However, the paint has started to fade quickly, and black patches are now visible in several places. Many people walking by have noticed that the once-vibrant colors are not as eye-catching as they used to be.

The original painting was done using a water-based road line marking paint. This type of paint is usually used for temporary road markings, so it was not very durable. The total budget for the project was £61,000, with half of the funding coming from the city council. After seeing how quickly the paint faded, the council decided to look for a better solution. They have now chosen to use thermoplastics, a material that is much more durable and is commonly used for road markings like white lane dividers and zebra crossings. Thermoplastics can last for several years without needing much maintenance.

Liberal Democrat Councillor Andrew Brown, who is the chair of the economy and skills policy committee, explained that research was done to find a better way to repaint the artwork. The research showed that thermoplastics would be a more reliable and long-lasting choice. The council plans to start by cleaning the area and testing the thermoplastic material on a small section of the pavement in September or October. They will leave this test area over the winter to see how well it holds up in cold and wet weather. If the test is successful, the full artwork will be repainted in the spring or summer of next year. The council originally worked with Upfest and the artist Oshii to create the mural, but Upfest is no longer involved in the project. The hope is that the new, more durable paint will keep the artwork looking bright and attractive for many years to come.