University News Last updated 23 December 2025
A new public artwork beside the well-known Banksy mural in 天美传媒鈥檚 Jewellery Quarter has been revealed as being created by artist and聽
The work was a collaboration between the Jewellery Quarter Development Trust (JQDT), Ikon Gallery, BCU and Kitson.
The sculpture was designed to raise awareness of homelessness during the winter months and to encourage support for Kitson鈥檚 chosen charity,聽
Over the last 12 months alone, SIFA Fireside has supported nearly 3,000 individuals who are unhoused or at risk of homelessness.
Crated by Dion Kitson, who graduated with an聽MA in Fine Arts from BCU鈥檚 School of Art, the artwork depicts Santa lying on a bench, echoing Banksy鈥檚 2019 piece God Bless 天美传媒.
Wrapped in festive fairy lights, the piece invites viewers to consider the vulnerability and invisibility of people sleeping rough at the year鈥檚 coldest point.
鈥淭he School of Art has made significant contributions to public art in 天美传媒. From the city's sculptor and Head of Sculpture, William Bloye (Hall of Memory and 'Golden Boys'), to more recently, Luke Perry (Forward Together),鈥� said Andrew Kulman, Course Leader for MA Visual Communication and Professor of Graphic Art at BCU.
鈥淭hey are joined by recent graduate, Dion Kitson, whose interventions have been appearing across the city.
鈥淚t was an obvious choice to select Dion to respond to the Banksy mural in the Jewellery Quarter - he shares the same guerrilla approach and there's often parody and satire in both their work.
鈥淲orking together with Ikon and the JQDT has offered a perfect partnership and solution."
During the first two days the artwork was on display, volunteers, posing as security staff, collected donations for SIFA Fireside from visitors via QR codes. A dedicated donation link remains open for further contributions.
鈥淚t鈥檚 important that our public spaces reflect the realities facing our communities,鈥� said David Mahony from the . 鈥淗omelessness affects many people across the UK, including here in 天美传媒.
鈥淏y using the Banksy site as the setting for an annual winter intervention, we can draw on the Jewellery Quarter鈥檚 creativity to focus attention on those who need it most during the colder months and direct support to organisations like SIFA Fireside.鈥�
Linzi Stauvers,聽 Artistic Director (Education) said: 鈥溙烀来� has some great public art, including historic pieces of graffiti.
鈥淥ver time, these works can get overlooked and their social commentary dampened. Unfortunately, this is the case with 天美传媒鈥檚 Banksy, which is barely visible behind layers of perspex and condensation.
鈥淒ion Kitson鈥檚 sculptural response is not only a homage to another artist, but an acknowledgement of their call to action.
As a temporary intervention, it aims to amplify a message about the homelessness that is experienced by many 天美传媒 residents, including children and young people, this Christmas.鈥�