Football fan art to brighten empty shop windows in Ipswich town centre

The big picture: The initiative, launched by Ipswich Central and local art collective Call Me Ted, aims to inject new life into vacant retail spaces while celebrating the town's Premier League football status.

Why it matters: The project combines efforts to:

• Improve the visual appeal of empty shop units
• Showcase local artistic talent
• Build community spirit around Ipswich Town's Premier League campaign

The details:

• New artwork will be installed before each remaining home game this season
• The first display features three posters in the former H&M building, currently a pop-up Sports Direct
• The project involves 19 different local artists creating match-specific designs
• Each poster will also appear in ITFC's official matchday programmes

Behind the scenes: Call Me Ted was founded in August by brothers Steve and Richard Haugh, along with fellow Ipswich fans Kevin Bennett and Andy Mortimer. The group has already worked with several artists, including Tom Armstrong, Joel Millerchip, and Catalina Carvajal.

What they're saying: Lee Walker, CEO of Ipswich Central, said: "This collaboration with Call Me Ted allows us to creatively reimagine our town centre, making it more inviting and vibrant."

Steve Haugh, co-founder of Call Me Ted, said: "Through this project we're really pleased to be celebrating how much Ipswich Town FC matters to fans and the wider community at the same time as showcasing the incredible range of artists on our doorstep. The support we've had has been overwhelming, with the fanbase and local businesses really connecting with the designs."

What's next: Property owners with vacant units are being invited to participate in the scheme. Interested parties can contact Melanie Willis at Ipswich Central by emailing melanie@locusms.com.