We were delighted to be approached by Sefton Council to work in partnership, creating and supplying artwork as part of the Marine Lake Events Centre (MLEC) construction.

The MLEC is a £73m multipurpose events centre capable of hosting entertainment shows, touring theatre acts, conferences, exhibitions, and more. Preparations are underway to demolish the existing Southport Theatre and Convention Centre, with the main works scheduled for later in 2024. This will be complemented by a spectacular water and light show on the lake, the first of its kind in the UK.

Marvel at Signs was contracted to design and install over 200 metres of hoarding. Our extensive experience managing large projects enabled us to promptly plan each hoarding section, working in conjunction with Sefton Council. The artwork presented a challenge to bring together advertisements from Visit Southport, Fostering with Sefton, ASM Global, while incorporating community projects, the project vision and showcasing the renders of the MLEC facilities.

In November 2023, the Sefton Council project team held a design competition with over 100 local primary school children supported by local high school career champions. The design competition focussed on three key themes. The children’s designs were judged on the day to select winners to be used on these hoardings.

1. All the things I love about Southport
2. When I think about a Construction project these are the jobs I see
3. These are the things I love about nature and the environment when I visit Southport

Thank you to all schools that participated and to all the children for their amazing drawings, and a special thank you to Benji, age 9, from Ainsdale Street Primary School for designing our mascot, Billie Blue, who you can find throughout the 200m of hoarding!

Feedback has been welcomed from the local residents, stating that it has been great to see the hoarding and learn more about the investment and the exciting developments on the horizon for Southport.

Our team included a Project Manager, Graphic Designer, Manufacturing, and Installation, who all came together to manage each aspect of the project through to completion.

Tracey – Conference and Sales Manager says: “Working with Marvel at Signs on the Marine Lake Events Centre project has been a fantastic experience. Featuring the children’s artwork on the hoardings has truly brought a community touch to this exciting development, making it feel like a shared achievement.”

Wayne – Director, Marvel at Signs, says: “Working on the Marine Lake Events Centre has been a rewarding experience. It’s exciting to be part of such a significant project and to see our work contribute to something that will have a lasting impact on the community. Collaborating with Sefton Council has been a real pleasure, and we’re proud of how everything has come together.”

Our long-standing partnership with Sefton Council is a testament to our ethos and ability to undertake projects such as MLEC, Visit Southport outdoor advertisement media, and graphic design work.

The print process including materials used

The hoarding totalled 74 ACM panels, each 1500mm wide, of full-colour print that wrapped around the perimeter of the construction site. The design had to acknowledge the ground’s staggered angle, where the installation of the panels would drop in sections. To tackle this, the designer opted to feature solid blue edges to keep the design disruption to a minimum.

The Project Manager created plans for the installation team to follow, showing the running order of the hoarding to streamline the process. The installation took two days to finish and was celebrated on completion by inviting the local children who participated in the artwork competition featured on the hoarding. They were presented with certificates, designed and printed by the Marvel Team, and congratulated on their inspiring contribution to the project.