At Street Stories, our mission is to help places come alive through public art, storytelling, and community engagement, and one of the great collateral benefits is the media exposure such projects can attract. Local authorities, BIDs and councils increasingly recognise that an eye-catching cultural or public-art initiative can be a powerful tool for raising the profile of a town or city – not just on the ground, but in the news, online, and across broadcast media.
Leicester: a recent success story
Our latest project in Leicester is a vivid example of how Street Stories can help a place gain wide publicity. The project was featured on BBC East Midlands TV news, BBC Radio Leicester, and across BBC online, among other press outlets.
That kind of media coverage does more than simply publicise the art, it shines a spotlight on the place itself. It tells residents, visitors and investors: “This town cares about its identity, its stories, and its cultural life.”
“They’re eye-catching and vibrant and much better than the empty shops that were there before the art displays were installed”
Emma Snow – Presenter BBC East Midlands
You can read more on the BBC News article here
What makes a Street Stories project newsworthy?
From our experience, certain elements make projects more likely to gain media traction — and these are things we aim to build in from the start:
- Strong human interest: real stories, local voices, unexpected hidden histories
- Visual impact: installations and art trails that photograph and film well
- Community involvement: participation from residents, schools, and local organisations
- Local relevance: connecting with identity, place, heritage or current themes
- Timing & launch moments: leveraging local events, festivals or seasonal occasions
- Partnerships with local press & media: early engagement with local news outlets, radio, regional journalists
How BIDs, councils and local authorities can maximise the PR potential
To make the most of the press potential, here are some strategies to consider:
- Early media engagement
Invite local journalists, media outlets and radio well before the launch. Offer “sneak peeks,” press previews or artist interviews. - Prepare media assets
Create high-quality photography, film, press releases and local-interest angles. An art trail launch with B-roll footage, quotes from locals, behind-the-scenes content – all make it easier for the media to tell your story. - Leverage networks & partners
Use your partnerships (e.g. council communications teams, local history groups, schools) to widen reach. Ask community partners to amplify the coverage on social media. - Timed launches
If possible, launch in coordination with local events (festivals, anniversaries, public gatherings) when media attention might already be heightened. - Sustain the conversation
After the splash of the launch, keep momentum with follow-up stories, e.g. local reactions, behind-the-scenes profiles, “trail highlights,” or visitor feedback pieces.
“As a local artist, this is a great opportunity, one to get your art and creativity out there, but also you’re proud of the city, proud of the area, and of the county. This is a great thing to be able to do.”
“Using art as a sort of powering redevelopment and more economic activity in a city. A city or town can get stuck in a doom spiral, getting a few empty shops, and people don’t want to have the confidence. Whereas if it all looks bright and loved, then people may have the confidence to say “well, actually, I’m going to do something with that space.”
Ben Jackson – Radio Host – BBC Radio Leicester
Listen to the full interview here.
In summary
Street Stories is more than a cultural or artistic intervention: it’s a storytelling engine and a media magnet. Our projects across the UK offer BIDs, towns, cities and counties not just new art or trails, but a platform to reach new audiences, tell powerful local stories, and gain real press and broadcast coverage.
Our Leicester project shows how a well-conceived, community-rooted project can attract regional TV, radio and digital media. If you’re a BID or local authority considering a public art or storytelling trail, the media exposure potential is real – and we’re here to help you harness it.
