Brilliant - but our cabinets are an important part of our network. They house critical national infrastructure that keeps the UK connected, so we have a few guidelines and a process that we ask artists to follow.
Firstly, we need to make sure we’re giving permission to paint on cabinets that we own – there’s a number of network providers out there and it’s a common misconception that Openreach are responsible for all of the cabinets that you see on streets across the UK. You can find information about our cabinets and images of the various types below.
Secondly – we need to keep a record of the cabinets that have been painted in case there are any issues with these cabinets in the future, such as any vandalism or damage, or any complaints made against the artwork itself.
And thirdly, although we don’t need to see your design in advance, we do have some simple guidelines which we need you to follow, especially if you don't want your artwork to be painted over.
We'll always consider complaints about cabinet artwork from elected officials on behalf of the community they represent, for example a local councillor or MP, and we’ll consider issues raised by members of the public – particularly if it relates to anything offensive or a breach of the guidelines above.
A subjective or personal opinion on a piece of artwork which an individual takes exception to.
If you’re a member of a Registered Charity, Local Council, Business Improvement District, Arts Council England or part of a local art community looking to paint our cabinets, please request permission using this form.
Once your request comes in, we’ll get back to you in fifteen working days.
During that time, we’ll check the cabinets specified belong to us, ant that they're not already painted or included in any future marketing campaigns. We'll also fully assess your application fully and either approve, reject or give feedback on your request.
While many of the cabinet out there belong to Openreach, some do belong to other companies. Take a look at the gallery below - if the cabinet you'd like to paint looks like one of these, it's probably ours.