Game On, Paint On: Celebrating Sports and Art Together

COLLABORATIVE INTERACTIVE PAINTING AT COMMUNITY AND SPORTING EVENTS

At Make Your Mark Events, I’m all about bringing groups of people together through painting. While I most often do this at weddings, helping blend two families on an incredibly happy occasion. But that’s not all I do. For example, over the past few months, I’ve been lucky enough to get involved in some amazing community events that showcased how art and sport can go hand in hand.

From community skateparks in Basingstoke to tennis tournaments in Shrewsbury, here’s a peek at what I’ve been up to.

Painting the Half-Pipe.

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Our first event was close to home (literally and figuratively). The Stoke Park is a community-driven project aimed at building an indoor skate park in Basingstoke. My son and partner are passionate about BMX, so when the opportunity came to help raise awareness and funds for the park, we were all in.

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On event day, we decided to create a huge collaborative mural to capture the energy of the skate scene and get people excited about the project. The mural started with a brick wall design, symbolizing the park’s foundation and growth—one brick at a time. The idea was simple: everyone who came to the event could contribute. Using a mixture of paint pens and brushes which let everyone add all sorts of cool graphic work, doodles, and details. Even a couple of older skaters—veteran pros who’ve been in the scene for years—came over and spent ages adding their own art and their old-school graffiti

tags. It was a beautiful reminder that the skate scene is as much about style, creativity, and flair as it is about tricks.

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The mural really came to life with each person’s contribution, and it became a symbol of

what The Stoke Park is all about: building something together. Now, we’re debating what to do with the mural. Should we auction it off to raise money for the park? Or maybe it’ll go up on the wall once the skate park is finally built. Either way, it’ll be a permanent reminder of the community’s support and involvement. If you want to check it out, head over to The Stoke Park’s Instagram!

The finished piece held at the end of the event by some of the young competitors

Steven Peach, the man behind the Stoke Skate Park Jam, said:

‘It was a wonderful day and thank you sooooo much. Really love the painting – I don’t want

to auction it!’

After our editing - the final piece!

The Art of Tennis

Next up was the W100, an international women’s tennis tournament at the Shrewsbury Club.

This event brought players from all over the world together, and it was the perfect

opportunity to mix the competitive spirit of tennis with some creative energy.

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Under the slogan “The Art of Tennis,” we ran a community painting project with the players, spectators, and local schools. We had an “arty-tennis” vibe going, where the idea was to merge the athleticism and strategy of tennis with the creativity of visual art. The background for the mural, designed by yours truly, was all about energy—swirls of colour and movement that mirrored the bounce of a tennis ball. But the real magic happened when everyone got involved.

The painting was split into sections, so everyone could all add their own touch. The

tournament’s winner, along with several other players, also contributed to the piece, making it feel like a special kind of autograph—a visual one. Think of it as a spin on collecting signatures in a book, but with paint and brushes. The final piece served as a backdrop for the rest of the tournament, a vibrant testament to how art and sport can come together to create something memorable.

Shropshire Festivals who helped organise the event and their painted section

Bringing The Community Together

So why mix sports and art? Well, think about it—doing sport is its own kind of art. Whether

it’s skating or tennis, there’s a flow, a rhythm, and a unique style that comes through in every movement. By bringing art into sporting events, we’re celebrating that connection and giving people the chance to express themselves in a new way. In my own art practice the energy of movement and dance often show up - so I see how they so closely align.

For me, the process is the same no matter what the event is. I start with a basic idea that

ties into the theme—whether it’s a skate park, a tennis tournament, or something else—and

then let the participants get creative. Everyone gets to make their mark, literally, by adding their own artistic contributions. It’s all about creating something together that reflects the spirit of the event and the people involved.

Dave, MD of the venue, said:

‘I have the W100 painting on the wall in the office I use at Riverhills, and the team love it and the story it tells.’

I love using art to support community sports projects and tournaments. Whether it’s a local

initiative like The Stoke Park or a bigger event like the W100, it’s amazing to see how art can bring people together and enhance the experience. The best part is that these paintings become lasting memories—whether they end up hanging on a wall or being auctioned off for a good cause.

If you’ve got an event coming up and want to add a creative twist, let’s chat! Bring your

ideas, and we’ll figure out a way to merge them with art to make something special. After all, there’s no better way to celebrate sport than by capturing its energy and creativity in a way that everyone can share.