Year 10 pupils from Cross and Passion College and Ballycastle High School have collaborated on a large-scale artwork now brightening the perimeter hoarding of the new Ballycastle Leisure Centre construction site.

Developed through a series of joint workshops, the project enabled students from both schools to meet and build connections ahead of their move to a shared campus in September, strengthening friendships and community ties in the process.

Entirely pupil-led, the piece presents an energetic, inclusive vision of the activities the future leisure centre will support, featuring swimming, BMX biking, camogie, Gaelic football, climbing, football, running, weightlifting and reading. Equality, accessibility and inclusion were central themes, mirroring the new facility’s core design principles and its ambition to serve the whole community.

Grounded in its setting, the design includes a scenic depiction of Fair Head with Rathlin Island on the horizon, alongside additional details such as birds, flowers and shells. The final work spans 30 individual panels, which were photographed and combined to create the complete hoarding display.

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The artwork was formally unveiled on Friday 8 May, attended by Mayor Councillor Oliver McMullan and Pat Mulvenna, Director of Leisure & Development at Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council. The event also gave pupils the chance to meet Council representatives and members of the GRAHAM team who supported the initiative.

To mark the collaboration, a banner featuring the artwork was presented to both schools for proud display at the Shared Campus site.

Following the unveiling, students took a guided tour of the construction site with GRAHAM's Project Manager, Alan McCullough, and architect Chris McAvoy of Hall Black Douglas. The visit offered first-hand insight into the build, the progress under way and the opportunity to ask questions about the project.

Mayor of Causeway Coast and Glens, Councillor Oliver McMullan, commented: "Seeing pupils from Cross and Passion College and Ballycastle High School come together in this way is exactly what projects like the new leisure centre are all about. The artwork is full of energy and imagination, and it really reflects the pride young people have in their community and the future they want to see here in Ballycastle.

"This development is not just about a building – it's about people, opportunity and inclusion. What the students have created is a fitting celebration of that vision, and I want to thank them, their teachers, and the GRAHAM team for bringing this initiative to life."

Alan McCullough, Project Manager at GRAHAM, said: "The artwork initiative highlights GRAHAM's ongoing commitment to support local communities and create meaningful social value throughout the construction process.

"The completed installation now serves as a colourful, uplifting focal point for Ballycastle, offering a preview of the inclusive and vibrant space planned once the leisure centre opens."