Shrewsbury town centre's annual high street installation, commissioned by Shrewsbury Business Improvement District (BID), has taken a new direction this year, with a hand-sewn, multi-material display replacing the vinyl prints that have featured on the High Street since before the COVID pandemic. 

Designed by local artist Clare Scarlett in response to the Shrewsbury Arts Trail's 2026 theme of Impressions, the new artworks are crafted from a mix of materials chosen for the way they catch and reflect light - shifting in colour and character as wind speed, light levels and the sun's position change throughout the day.  

The result is a display that is never quite the same twice, casting moving reflections of colour onto the road and buildings around them from morning to evening. 

Bringing the installation to life required more than just new designs. Clare and her husband Rob Scarlett worked closely with Potters Electrical to design and build bespoke fixings capable of allowing the flags to move and rotate freely without becoming tangled or falling - a technical challenge that involved the development of new frames and multiple testing sessions. 

The cost of the new fixings was part-funded by the Shrewsbury Big Town Plan Partnership as part of its Vitality, Life & Mix project for 2026-27.  

The flags are now in place above the High Street and will remain on display throughout the summer.