Common Walls International Mural Festival Wins The Pineapple Award

Posted by on 24 Apr 2026

Common Walls International Mural Festival, led by the Culture and Placemaking Team at Rochdale Development Agency who worked in partnership with Rochdale artists, The Butterfly Effect, has won The Pineapple Award for Activation Events at the Developer and Festival of Place Pineapple Awards.
The award recognises Common Walls, the international mural festival, which took place in Rochdale last year, as a standout example of creative placemaking, selected from an exceptionally strong field of projects from across the UK.

A cornerstone of Rochdale’s year as Greater Manchester Town of Culture, the festival successfully bridged the gap between global street art and local heritage, bringing internationally recognised artists together with local stories, communities and spaces.

Judges praised the project’s depth of community engagement, its clear and lasting legacy, and its role in transforming perceptions and experiences of place. In their comments, the panel described Common Walls International Mural Festival as “a premier blueprint for how creative activation can strengthen a town’s cultural identity.”

Rachel Laver, Managing Director of Rochdale Development Agency, said:
“Winning a Pineapple Award is an incredible achievement and a huge moment of pride for Rochdale. Common Walls showed what’s possible when culture, community and place are brought together with ambition and care. The festival didn’t just animate our town centre it created lasting connections, celebrated local identity and left a legacy that will continue to inspire long after the murals were painted.”
The win was received with surprise and pride by the project team, with the scale and quality of the competition making the recognition particularly meaningful.
Common Walls International Mural Festival was delivered in collaboration with Hayley Garner (Aylo), Rochdale Development Agency, Rochdale Borough Council and The Butterfly Effected CIC, demonstrating how creative activation can extend beyond a single moment to deliver long term cultural and social impact.

Pete Courtie, Head of Culture and Placemaking at the RDA, said:
“We’re investing in our places by working closely with artists and local communities by listening to residents and collaborating with them to shape spaces that reflect who they are and what they want for the future.”

The Pineapples are the only UK awards dedicated exclusively to placemaking, with winners selected through live judging presentations by a multidisciplinary panel spanning development, design, culture, local government and community sectors.