A graduate of LJMU has found success in something she loves after being given a grant from the Liverpool John Moores fellowship scheme.
Award-winning artist Nicola Taggart decided to create Tag-Art, an art works with a difference, to change lives through community art projects. Tag-Art provides local community art workshops and commissioned art work for both private and commercial customers across Merseyside.
After starting Tag-Art in 2011, working alongside various schools, housing associations and other community organisations, Nicola and her team have created numerous murals that aim to inspire the next generation of artists. Some of her most recent clients are Liverpool City Council and Riverside Housing Trust.
Nicola told JMU Journalism: “I started Tag-Art because I finished my Fine Art degree at LJMU and I couldn’t find a paid art job to go into. I’d worked for voluntary art organisations so from there I decided to develop my own business. I went to a LJMU graduate enterprise fellowship programme and this is where I gained all the information I needed for the business side of my art company.”
Nicola found that the programme really helped and influenced how she started to run her business. From this she also received the crucial £1500 grant she needed get Tag-Art up and running.
She said: “I would advise anyone thinking of starting their own business straight from university to visit the fellowship programme. I really can’t thank them enough.”
Since starting Tag-Art, Nicola has worked on numerous projects around Merseyside. She also has many planned for the future, including one at Epsom Street play centre on street art that is aimed to engage some of the local teenagers. Nicola is also working closely with some of Liverpool’s schools to create large 3D books as part of a writing on the wall project which will be displayed at the Stanley Park book pageant.
Nicola said: “The biggest project I have planned will be running through April at the K.I.N.D charity as collaboration between staff from Novartis, a company in Speke, to create a large scale mural.”
In the future Tag-Art hopes to move to larger premises so it can be run as a gallery or shop with workshop space to deliver workshops to all disciplines of art.