The Guardians of York

A citywide public art project created by THE POSTMAN in collaboration with AOP Projects, commissioned by York BID.

Together with AOP Projects, we delivered a large-scale public art project across the city, celebrating key workers and the role they played during an unprecedented moment.

The project was built around recognising individuals from across the community — people who kept York going during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The series featured over 10 key workers, each representing a different part of that collective effort.

These included an ICU nurse, an ICU doctor, a postman, a street cleaner, founders of the supper collective, a police officer, a shop assistant, a school teacher, and York Rescue Boat staff.

We spent time with each of the participants — meeting them, listening to their experiences, and understanding what that period meant to them personally.

These conversations became central to the project. Each artwork was developed to reflect the individual behind the role, with details drawn from their experiences during that time.

The project was realised as major installations across York, forming a citywide trail.

Alongside this, an empty former Boots store on the high street was transformed into a central hub, with all the works displayed across its windows so the full project could be experienced together.

An interactive map connected the locations, encouraging people to move through the city and encounter the work in context.

The launch brought participants together for a major press event, placing them at the centre of the project.

What began as a series of artworks became something much bigger — a shared moment of recognition for the people behind them.