Residents in Midsomer Norton will be invited to co-create art, poetry, and songs celebrating the town’s people and culture in a series of events taking place this year.

Four artists based in the Somer Valley have been commissioned by Bath & North East Somerset Council, working in partnership with Midsomer Norton Town Council, Midsomer Norton Community Trust and Midsomer Norton Music & Arts Festival, to run community workshops and create art that will be placed in prominent locations in the High Street.

The project is part of the IMAGINE Midsomer Norton engagement for the Old Brewery Quarter town centre masterplan.

Local people of all ages and backgrounds will be invited to work with each artist to develop an artwork which captures the essence of Midsomer Norton and its people.

The four artists and the projects they will create with the community are:

The first creative workshop, led by P Burton-Morgan and designed for young people, will be held on April 17 from 11am at Midsomer Norton Skatepark.

The artworks will join a new kingfisher mural by well-known local street artist Andy Council, which celebrates the high street and the river which runs through it, on the side of electric bike company Chained and Charged.

The mural was commissioned by local businesses and was co-funded by the council as part of the Shopfront Improvements Scheme.

Councillor Paul Roper, cabinet member for economic and cultural sustainable development, said: “We are pleased to announce the appointment of these four local artists who will work closely with the Midsomer Norton community on art that will take pride of place in the High Street.

“The works will bring more colour, creativity and fun to the town centre and represent the community’s wishes for the future of the town.”

Councillor Martyn Plant, mayor of Midsomer Norton, said: “It is a pleasure to be working with such a gifted group of artists to deliver this exciting project.

“The Somer Valley is home to an abundance of creative talent, from visual artists and musicians to textile artists, circus performers, set designers and everything in between. We are thrilled to be showcasing some of it over the spring and summer months on our wonderful High Street.”

Old Brewery Quarter town centre masterplan is a joint project between Bath & North East Somerset Council and Midsomer Norton Town Council and focuses on the longer-term development of the Old Brewery area, alongside this a regeneration action plan focused on shorter term improvements and both plans aim to create a more vibrant and welcoming town centre.

Midsomer Norton is the second town in Bath & North East Somerset to benefit from town centre regeneration action plans funded by £750,000 from the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority’s Housing and Regeneration Enabling Fund.