'The People's Pool': New mural at listed Moseley Road Baths as restoration continues

World Monuments Fund (WMF) and the Moseley Road Baths Diving-In project have unveiled a striking new mural at the Grade II* listed Moseley Road Baths, a 2016 World Monuments Watch site currently undergoing major restoration.

Funded by WMF, the artwork — The People’s Pool — was created by artist Luke Gray to honour the living history of both Moseley Road Baths and the adjoining Balsall Heath Library.

Blending Edwardian motifs with bold, modern design, the mural traces the community’s connection to the Baths from its 1907 opening to its ongoing transformation through the Diving In capital project, due for completion in 2028.

Completed over three weeks in October 2025, the mural will remain in place until the end of Phase 2 of the works. Commissioned through an open tender, The People’s Pool was chosen for its celebration of the Baths’ architecture, its community of swimmers, and its reflection of the diverse population of Balsall Heath.

The project was made possible through a WMF grant, with the organisation also taking part in the artist selection panel alongside project partners.

Moseley Road Baths was included on the 2016 World Monuments Watch following its nomination by the Friends of Moseley Road Baths, after Birmingham City Council announced plans to close the building due to funding cuts. The listing sparked a powerful coalition between the Council, Moseley Road Baths CIO, Historic England, National Trust, WMF, and the Friends group, all working to secure the Baths’ future.

Since 2018, the Baths have been operated by Moseley Road Baths CIO, ensuring that swimming remains at the heart of the Balsall Heath community.

On 2 October 2023, Moseley Road Baths closed for swimming and all on-site activities as the next major phase of repair work began. This phase of work is expected to be completed in 2026.

The team expressed gratitude to everyone who has supported the Baths by swimming there since community management began in 2018 — and looks forward to welcoming everyone back when the doors reopen.

Today, both Moseley Road Baths and Balsall Heath Library are closed for extensive conservation as part of Diving In, a £35.5 million regeneration project that will preserve the site’s historic fabric while introducing new cultural, leisure, and wellbeing facilities.

A cornerstone of Birmingham’s heritage, Moseley Road Baths is one of the city’s most important historic buildings — and one of only two Grade II* listed baths built before 1914 still in use.

The new mural stands as a vivid symbol of its ongoing story and the community that continues to shape it.