Have You Spotted the Masterpieces in Croydon Town Centre?

There is still time to catch a brilliant burst of world-class art in Croydon, as the National Gallery’s Art On Your Doorstep programme continues until 5 July.

The free trail brings life-sized reproductions of famous paintings into everyday public spaces, turning familiar routes through the town centre into an open-air gallery. Croydon is the first London borough to host the programme, with 30 artworks displayed from Upper Norwood to Coulsdon College.

In the Whitgift Centre, visitors can find Henri Rousseau’s dramatic Surprised! at Whitgift Square, where a wide-eyed tiger emerges through a stormy jungle scene. Nearby, at Chapel Walk close to McDonald’s, two more masterpieces are on display: Pablo Picasso’s Fruit Dish, Bottle and Violin, an abstract classic, and Pierre-Auguste Renoir’s The Umbrellas, a lively street scene full of movement and character even in the rain, just what you might expect to see on North End!

The trail is a simple reason to pause, look up and see the town centre differently, whether you are shopping, commuting or meeting friends on North End.

Find out more on the National Gallery website.

As The Croydon Project continues to shape the future of the town centre, moments like this show how culture, creativity and public spaces can bring fresh energy to Croydon. Do you have any favourite pieces of street art or sculpture? What would you like to see included in The Croydon Project? Drop us a line anytime.