Join in the 21st Birthday celebrations of Newbury Mosaic

Residents are invited to join a special community celebration this summer as the Newbury Mosaic marks its 21st anniversary.

Inspired by the excitement around the upcoming Bayeux Tapestry exhibition, Newbury Library is shining a spotlight on a much-loved local landmark right on its doorstep. Installed outside the library, the Newbury Mosaic was created 21 years ago with contributions from more than 4,000 local schoolchildren and residents – a true piece of shared history and creativity.

On Saturday, 22 August (11 am-4 pm), the community is invited to come together to celebrate this milestone and reconnect with a project that captured the spirit of Newbury.

If you helped create the mosaic, or know someone who did, this is your moment to come back, find your piece, and be part of the story once again.

Visitors can try to spot the section they contributed to, meet the artist Paul Forsey and have a photo taken with him, explore a display inside the library featuring photos from when the mosaic was first created, and take home a commemorative badge as a memento of the day.

This free event is a chance to celebrate not just the artwork itself, but the thousands of individual contributions that brought it to life – and the strong sense of community it represents.

Paul Forsey said:

It is a rare privilege to be able to work on a project like the Newbury Mosaic. Within the short timeframe of a single year, my task was to research, develop and deliver a public art project that explored and told some of the stories of our local history.

Little did I know where the journey would take me, from the Domesday Book to Jack o’ Newbury, Civil War to world war, to peace campers and Swampy. I met so many wonderful people, both young and old, who generously volunteered to support and participate, several returning many times. I am very proud that The Newbury Mosaic has reached its 21st birthday and warmly invite everyone to come along and share in celebrating this achievement.

Join Paul and the team on 22 August and help celebrate 21 years of a truly unique community masterpiece.