Printfield 10 - Denis Law Legacy Trail have now been officially opened in Printfield, which highlights another example of how RGU is helping to transform people and communities.
The project aims to celebrate the area of the city where the Scottish footballing legend grew up has involved a number of students and recent graduates from Gray’s School of Art. The project was led and implemented by design teams at Fine Day Studio, who have a strong track record in community-led creative work, and New Practice, part of Civic and experts in community engagement and placemaking.
The new trail forms Phase 2 of the community-led initiative following initial conceptions by Communication Design students through their involvement with the Denis Law Legacy Trust, the children’s charity based at RGU SPORT which works in partnership with Robert Gordon University (RGU) and builds on the previous success of the now iconic 30 metre high murals that mark the entrance into the trail created by artist Jerome Davenport, founder of street art creators Blank Walls.
Colin Leonard, Director of Fine Day Studio, said "We’ve enjoyed a long-standing creative relationship with Gray’s School of Art and RGU, and the Denis Law Legacy Trail is a great example of what’s possible when education, culture and community come together. From student placements to Degree Show awards and live project partnerships, we’re proud to keep the connection going”.
Madeleine Edwards, a recent Communication Design graduate who led the design activities for Fine Day Studio said: “As a Gray’s School of Art graduate, it’s been really meaningful to collaborate with students, staff, and the wider community on this project—especially as it celebrates such an iconic sporting figure from Aberdeen. The skills I developed during my time at RGU, and since graduating, gave me the confidence to contribute creatively and help shape the trail”.
Printfield 10 consists of 10 itrailstop points that highlight key aspects of Denis’ life and his journey to stardom that culminated with winning the prestigious Ballon d'Or award in 1964.
Nina Stanger, another RGU graduate employed by Fine Day Studio said: “Being part of the Denis Law Legacy Trail felt like coming full circle — from studying an MA in Communication Design at Gray’s to helping shape the design and creation of a meaningful project that celebrates the spirit of Denis and his community”.
Amy Pirrie, a current Stage 3 Communication Design student who was on placement with Fine Day Studio last semester said: “During my recent work placement, I also had the opportunity to get involved with the Denis Law Legacy Trail. It was amazing to play a small part in the creation of such a high profile and impactful project.”
A number of students have also achieved RGUplus accreditation through their involvement in the project. Among them is Innes Gregory, who was awarded the coveted Gold Award for his work documenting the development of the trail. Innes captured its evolution through a combination of documentary photography and timelapse sequences, creating a visual record of the project.
Innes also collaborated with Filmmaker and Mentor Faustas Takla and travelled to Glasgow work through the editing process and complete the film that is now available to view on YouTube.
Lorriane Aimes, RGU Careers Consultant in Student Life said: “Employers are looking to hire graduates who not only have the right qualifications, knowledge, and work experience but also transferable skills and attitude to allow them to excel in the role. At RGU, we believe each student has a unique set of skills and should graduate having explored and defined their individual identity. As such RGUplus now offers a wide range of opportunities that lead towards our Global Citizen Award”.
Iain Morrison, Stage 4 Communication Design Coordinator at Gray’s School of Art said: “Our course maintains a strong collaborative partnership with the Denis Law Legacy Trust. Since its inception, our students have regularly gained valuable hands-on experience by contributing their skills to the charity’s work. We’re proud to be a part of their initiatives and activities and enjoy seeing the positive and lasting impact that our course has had on thousands of young people across many local communities."
Professor Nick Fyfe, said: “RGU is renowned for its participation in this type of activity and was recently recognised through an Engage Watermark Award from the National Coordinating Centre for Public Engagement (NCCPE) which highlights our commitment to public engagement and the positive impact we have made our local communities”.
‘Printfield 10 - A Denis Law Legacy Trail’ is supported by UK Shared Prosperity funding and Aberdeen City Council Common Good funding. The project, which Aberdeen City Council have played a key role in enabling, aims to attract football fans, street art lovers, and visitors to the city who can now walk in the footsteps of a sporting legend and experience a world-class public artwork in the heart of Aberdeen.