A GROUP of young artists has added some colour to a gallery building.

The team of youngsters, aged from ten to 18, has completed a mural on the side of the Phoenix Brighton gallery and studio space in Waterloo Place, Brighton.

Appropriately, the mural, which takes up the entire wall, depicts the mythical creature after which the gallery is named.

The young artists are all from the Phoenix Estate, which is behind the gallery.

This project was run with support from the Brighton and Hove City Council’s restorative communities fund.

It is part of Phoenix’s commitment to expanding art into the wider community.

The young artists worked alongside street artist and youth worker Tom Hines to make the piece come to life.

The youngsters attended a series of workshops at Phoenix Brighton to design a mural that “expresses a collective identity and uses imagery that they feel represents them”.

Sarah Davies, executive director at Phoenix Brighton, said: “We’ve been working with residents and the wider community over the last year and for the project to culminate in such a visual way is brilliant.

“The young people should be congratulated for their focus and determination to create such a stunning piece of street art.

“We’ll be expanding this work to more communities in the area as it is a great way to bring residents and young people together in an arts-related project.”

It is hoped that the towering new artwork will give the young people who painted it ownership over the area and send out a “proud and positive message” to passers-by about the people who live there.

Harry Tilley, 15, one of the youngsters who helped paint the mural, said: “It is a new beginning for the community.

“It has been a fun experience as well.”

Tom Hines, the artist who helped paint the mural, and is a youth worker with Tarner Community Project, praised the youngsters for their work.

He said: “This project was completely youth led.

“The young people decided with the community and the gallery users what the image should be.

“The phoenix image links everyone together.

“They have worked really hard.”

Phoenix Brighton is a not-for-profit arts organisation, based in the centre of Brighton.

The studio space currently has more than 100 artist studios and there is a bustling arts and events programme.

The charity hopes that this project, and others like it, will help to bring art to an audience that may not have considered it as a creative outlet.

Phoenix Brighton said: “As we see youth services as well as adult services continually cut, Phoenix is a hub providing a myriad of opportunities to see inventive use of our building with the emphasis on place making and intergenerational space.

For more information visit www.phoenixbrighton.org.