The new community-led hoarding artwork by Europa, young locals from The Cotch, and Thomas Adank gives a slice of Walthamstow life.
Delivered by Waltham Forest Council and Network Rail, the artwork, installed in June 2026, is part of a coordinated package of improvements designed to boost the area’s visual appeal and safety, using funding secured from the Metropolitan Police as part of the Home Office’s Operation Martello Programme.
As part of a wider regeneration programme in Walthamstow Town Centre, the council has been working in partnership with the Metropolitan Police and Network Rail to address long‑standing issues at the overground entrance to Walthamstow Central, on land owned by Network Rail, including reports of crime, anti-social behaviour and fly-tipping.
Earlier this spring, Network Rail installed hoarding around the site to improve the appearance and address existing issues with fly-tipping and anti-social behaviour.
In March 2026, seven local young people collected over a hundred objects from businesses on Walthamstow Market and High Street, selecting them for their aesthetic qualities, utility, and cultural characteristics. Drawing on the tradition of the still life, the group created compositions of these objects to be photographed.
The images show a series of interactions that evoke real, breathing slices of Walthamstow’s present, looking for the beauty in the everyday.
The council is also working with Network Rail’s property team on a longer‑term regeneration of the site. Stay tuned for further updates on the Let’s Talk Walthamstow website.
About LB creative – The Cotch
The Cotch, is an initiative that seeks to repurpose an unused space in Walthamstow Central into a vibrant hub for young people aged 14 to 25. The Cotch project is designed to offer a blend of lifestyle and life skills workshops, business and homework clubs, co-working spaces, and creative opportunities, all led by our industry professionals and mentors.
Find out more about The Cotch on the Lynmore Gardens FC website.
About Europa
Europa is a graphic design studio interested in all forms of culture. Europa work with a diverse set of cultural institutions on projects including graphic identities, books, publications, exhibition design, signage, art direction and websites. Europa’s approach to design is collaborative – believing the constraints that a project brings can be both liberating and joyful.
Europa has a particular interest in architecture, urbanism and the role that graphic design can play in a place’s identity. Europa look for moments when graphic design and architecture overlap, and create opportunities for our work to play a more supportive and less top down role in framing a place.
Find out more about Europa on the Europa website.