Dodworth: Past, Present and Future – Celebrating 60 Years of Dodworth Library with a Community Mural

Dodworth Library is marking its 60th anniversary with a special creative celebration that brings the whole community together. The new artwork, ‘Dodworth: Past, Present and Future’, has been created through a series of community workshops led by local artist Emily Greenman (Studio Fizz), and will be unveiled at a celebration event on Saturday 8 November, 11am to 12pm.

Celebrating 60 years of Dodworth Library, the project invited residents of all ages to take part in painting and drawing workshops, contributing to a fabric mural inspired by Dodworth’s landscape and heritage.

Now completed, the mural features abstract representations of the village’s rolling hills, architecture, and wildlife, sewn together to form a vibrant, interactive display that will be exhibited in the library until the end of the year.

The artwork is both a celebration of place and people — a collective story stitched together and inviting reflection on local memories, familiar places, and intergenerational connections.

Participant feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, with comments including:

• “Great fun! Haven’t painted since I was a kid.”
• “Lovely to meet fellow villagers — had a fab relaxing time!”
• “Brill idea! I loved telling stories about the area whilst painting.”

Local artist Emily Greenman, otherwise known as Studio Fizz, is a Dodworth-based artist known for joyful, whimsical work blending analog and digital techniques. This was Emily’s first artist commission, demonstrating Barnsley Libraries’ NPO’s commitment in supporting new and early career artists.

Cllr Wendy Cain, Cabinet Spokesperson for Communities and Public Health, said:
“As Dodworth Library celebrates its 60th anniversary, this project beautifully captures the spirit of the community – creative, welcoming, and proud of its heritage. It’s a fitting tribute to six decades of Dodworth Library as a place of connection, learning and shared stories.”

The unveiling celebration will be taking place at Dodworth Library on Saturday 8 November, 11am to 12pm. Come along to see the mural and honour the community’s creativity and contributions.

This project is part of Barnsley Libraries’ artist commission series, supported by Arts Council England through the National Portfolio Organisation (NPO) programme.
The mural will be on public display in Dodworth Library until the end of 2025.