Newquay Mural Trail Winner Revealed After Nail-Biting Vote

Just 24 votes separated the top three. After nearly 1,900 ballots were cast across several weeks, Newquay BID has named the winner of its Doorway Mural Art competition, and the results were closer than anyone expected.

A Close-Run Contest

The competition saw local artists team up with businesses around the town centre to transform doorways into works of public art. Voters then had their say, and the response was strong enough that the leading three pieces were almost neck and neck.

Taking third place was Gemma Carson with her Newquay Harbour mural on Fore Street, a traditional-style piece capturing sunlit Cornish waters, bobbing boats, jellyfish, and clifftop wildflowers as a homage to the harbour.

Second place went to Saskia Taskis with “Sunset at the Headland”, featuring Cornish choughs flying above the Headland Hotel against a vibrant sunset sky.

📷Newquay Harbour 2025 - by Gemma Carson Newquay Harbour at its finest — sunlit Cornish waters, bobbing boats, jellyfish and clifftop wildflowers, painted in a traditional style as a heartfelt homage.

And the Winner Is

Top spot went to Diane Griffiths with “Island After Dark”, a night scene inspired by Newquay’s coastline. The piece shows the Island silhouetted beneath a luminous sky with the glow of harbour lights below.

Follow the Trail

QR codes have now been installed across all of the artworks, allowing locals and visitors to follow the trail, discover the artists behind each piece, and connect through to the Love Newquay website, which links the smaller works with the larger mural installations around town.

📷Sunset at The Headland by Saskia Taskis Cornish choughs fly above the Headland Hotel, set against a vibrant sunset sky.

What Happens Next

Newquay BID says the project has already created a buzz across social media and online conversations, with more businesses approaching the team about future artwork. Organisers are now looking at turning the mural trail into an annual event.

The BID added that while Newquay is not the first place to embrace murals, the aim has been to create something different for the town by celebrating creativity, culture, and community alongside local artists.

📷The Island After Dark - by Diane Griffiths A night scene inspired by Newquay's coastline, with The Island silhouetted beneath a luminous sky and the glow of harbour lights.