Faye Fantarrow honoured as part of Rebel Women of Sunderland project

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A new mural honours late Sunderland singer songwriter Faye Fantarrow.

The 21-year-old from East Herrington, who’d made her mark with her musical talent, lost her battle with a rare brain tumour in August last year.

The Faye Fantarrow mural in High Street WestThe Faye Fantarrow mural in High Street West
The Faye Fantarrow mural in High Street West | Sunderland Echo

Now, the talented artist has been honoured with a mural on High Street West facing on to Pop Recs, a venue she’d performed at with her mentor Dave Stewart.

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It was created by Sunderland artist Kathryn Robertson as part of the Rebel Women project which honours Sunderland women past and present and their achievements.

The work now forms part of the Sunderland Arts & Culture Trail, which showcases the work of 60 artists on display at 40 locations around the city.

Faye joins a prestigious line-up of women in the Rebel Women of Sunderland project, including Dr Marion Phillips, who was the city’s first female MP, musician Emeli Sandé, journalist and broadcaster Kate Adie and Ida and Louise Cook who helped a number of Jews escape Nazi Germany.

Artists finishing the Faye Fantarrow memorial mural outside Pop Recs.Artists finishing the Faye Fantarrow memorial mural outside Pop Recs.
Artists finishing the Faye Fantarrow memorial mural outside Pop Recs. | Sunderland Echo

The original group of 10 women were highlighted through artwork and stories and now more women are added each year on International Women’s Day on March 8.

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As part of the project, artworks of the other Rebel Women will be going up around the Sunniside area.

Freelance artist Kathryn, a University of Sunderland graduate, created the original illustrations as one of her first commissioned works as part of a project initiated by Sunderland Culture, which also included stories of the women written by award-winning author Jessica Andrews.

“Since then the project has taken on many lives and been celebrated through various platforms including a Rebel Women Podcast and a continuation of the project through the University of Sunderland,” said Kathryn.

Sunderland BID's Sharon Appleby, Prof Angela Smith, We Are Culture's Laura Brewis and artist Kathryn Robertson, in front of Faye Fantarrow mural, part of the Rebel Women Project.Sunderland BID's Sharon Appleby, Prof Angela Smith, We Are Culture's Laura Brewis and artist Kathryn Robertson, in front of Faye Fantarrow mural, part of the Rebel Women Project.
Sunderland BID's Sharon Appleby, Prof Angela Smith, We Are Culture's Laura Brewis and artist Kathryn Robertson, in front of Faye Fantarrow mural, part of the Rebel Women Project. | Sunderland BID

“I'm really pleased that we are now creating a trail of paste ups of the women, giving a space to them in a way that is embedded into the community for more people to enjoy and connect with their stories.”

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The project is now a collaboration between Sunderland BID, Sunderland Culture and the University of Sunderland, with the latter taking the lead since 2020.

Professor Angela Smith of the facility of art and creative industries at the university said they had come on board after running events to mark the centenary of some women getting the vote.

“The person we had been celebrating was Marion Phillips, Sunderland's first female MP, who was also one of the first Rebel Women of Sunderland,” she said.

“The project seeks to raise awareness of the contribution women have made to history and to the contemporary world. In Sunderland in particular, we have a well-recorded history of ship building and mining, industries that are incredibly masculine. 

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“However, what we have sought to do with the Rebel Women of Sunderland project is to show that there are remarkable women associated with Sunderland.”

Sharon Appleby, Chief Executive of Sunderland BID, said she hoped the large scale outdoor artwork would help make more people aware of the project.

“These women are all remarkable in their own way and have achieved so much in everything from politics to the arts, from sport to education,” she said.

“What they have in common is they all have a strong connection to the city and it is amazing to be able to share their stories and to continue to honour them.”

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The other paste-ups which will also be seen around the city are: Ida and Louise Cook at Tyre Shop, Villiers Street; Marion Phillips at Sunniside Gardens; Florence Collard (representing the Shipyard women) at corner of Villiers Street and Borough Road; Katharine Backhouse (representing the Quaker women) at Francis Marshall in St Thomas Street and Emeli Sandé at Nile Street.

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