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Shrewsbury town centre’s annual high street installation, commissioned by Shrewsbury Business Improvement District (BID), has taken a new direction this year, with a hand-sewn, multi-material display replacing the vinyl prints that have featured on the High Street since before the COVID pandemic.
Shrewsbury town centre’s annual high street installation
Designed by local artist Clare Scarlett in response to the Shrewsbury Arts Trail’s 2026 theme of ‘Impressions’, the new artworks are crafted from a mix of materials chosen for the way they catch and reflect light – shifting in colour and character as wind speed, light levels and the sun’s position change throughout the day.
The result is a display that is never quite the same twice, casting moving reflections of colour onto the road and buildings around them from morning to evening.
Bringing the installation to life required more than just new designs. Clare and her husband Rob Scarlett worked closely with Potters Electrical to design and build bespoke fixings capable of allowing the flags to move and rotate freely without becoming tangled or falling – a technical challenge that involved the development of new frames and multiple testing sessions.
The cost of the new fixings was part-funded by the Shrewsbury Big Town Plan Partnership as part of its Vitality, Life & Mix project for 2026-27.
Alex Wagner, Portfolio Holder for Economic Growth at Shropshire Council, a partner in the Big Town Plan, said of the new display:
“Creating a vibrant and welcoming town centre is hugely important for supporting local businesses, encouraging footfall and strengthening Shrewsbury’s visitor economy. The annual display above the High Street has become a distinctive part of that atmosphere, and it’s great to see the Big Town Plan’s vitality funding supporting bigger and more ambitious displays which can keep evolving year on year.”
Emma Molyneux, who led the project at Shrewsbury BID, said:
“The High Street dressing is one of those things that people always notice when they visit Shrewsbury over the summer months – the display adds something to the atmosphere of the High Street that’s hard to put a name to, but easy to feel. This year we wanted to push the concept further, and working with Clare has given us something genuinely special. The display changes with the weather and the time of day, which feels exactly right for a town centre that’s always in motion.”
Clare Scarlett said:
“When Shrewsbury BID approached me, I immediately thought the ‘Impressions’ theme gave us real creative freedom to think about how materials behave in the open air – how light moves through fabric, how different textures respond to the same breeze in different ways. Working with Buck from Potters Electrical to get the fixings right was an essential part of the process; the engineering had to match the ambition of the design.
“Buck was great to work with, taking everything in stride. After the fixings were designed and approved, it was simply a matter of the many hours of fabricating and sewing needed to produce the full collection! I really hope people take a moment to look up and notice how the display changes as the day goes on.”
The flags are now in place above the High Street and will remain on display throughout the summer.
About the designer
Clare Scarlett studied Textile Design at Birmingham City University before going on to work with Habitat and Made.com, and spent a number of years in airline interior design, collaborating with international manufacturers on projects for carriers including Etihad Airways, Cathay Pacific and Japan Airlines.
Alongside her design work, she has increasingly focused on community-based art and creative workshops, leading collaborative installations and projects for adults and children across Shrewsbury – including the 2025 High Street flags and a community artwork installation at Shrewsbury Museum and Art Gallery as part of the 2024 Arts Trail.
About Shrewsbury Arts Trail
Now in its sixth year, Shrewsbury Arts Trail (4th July – 31st August) continues its mission to bring unique and high-quality art to the town to be enjoyed by the public for free through a series of exhibitions and events at multiple venues across the town.
The Arts Trail celebrates our vibrant arts community and boosts the reputation of our county as an exciting and welcoming cultural destination.
This year’s theme is ‘Impressions’ and Shrewsbury Museum and Art Gallery is once again the venue for the ‘Inspirational’ exhibition.
