Three UK community spaces to be transformed using Dulux Colours of the Year 2026, Rhythm of Blues
- More than 300 entries were submitted nationwide, reflecting rising demand for refreshed, multi-use community spaces amid continued funding pressures
- Projects will be delivered with Dulux’s long-standing partner, social enterprise Volunteer It Yourself (‘VIY’), combining professional decorating, skills training and community volunteering,
- Part of Let’s Colour, a community-focused initiative by Dulux that uses the power of paint and colour to bring people together, improve shared spaces and help transform lives
Tuesday, January 27: AkzoNobel has announced the winners of its Dulux Let’s Colour – Colour of the Year Community Competition, which will see three community spaces transformed using the Dulux Colours of the Year 2026, Rhythm of Blues.
Following a nationwide call for nominations, the winning projects were selected from more than 300 entries by a judging panel made up of the Dulux partnerships team and social enterprise Volunteer It Yourself (‘VIY’) colleagues. Each winner reflects one of the Rhythm of Blues theme – the Dulux 2026 Colours of the Year palette including calming Mellow Flow, grounding Slow Swing and expressive Free Groove.
THE 2026 WINNERS
Café 50, Pontyclun, Wales
Mellow Flow Project Winner (celebrating spaces to cosy up, connect, and feel welcome)
A dedicated social and nutritional hub for the over 50s, Café 50 plays a vital role in tackling isolation by offering affordable meals, quizzes, and craft sessions for local residents. Over the years, it has become a cornerstone of community life, particularly valued for its role in reducing isolation and supporting the wellbeing of elderly people in the local area particular those living with dementia.
Newcastle Deaf Centre
Slow Swing Project Winner (celebrating spaces to connect, think big and find calm stillness)
For decades, Newcastle Deaf Centre has delivered vital services to the local deaf community, including a weekly British Sign Language Café, Deaf Bingo lunches and monthly Deaf Pastoral services, helping to reduce isolation and promote equality. In the past year, the Centre has also become a training venue for Hearing Dogs for Deaf People, while providing student placements and young leader mentorship.
West Ham Community Health & Boxing Club
Free Groove Project Winner (celebrating spaces to explore, play, and go wild)
West Ham Community Health & Boxing Club has supported the East London community since 1922, providing inclusive boxing training and fitness sessions for all ages that build confidence, discipline and wellbeing. From non-contact community classes and children’s programmes to competitive amateur squads, the club offers clear pathways from beginner fitness to high-level competition. With experienced coaches and strong community values, it promotes healthy lifestyles, teamwork and positive opportunities, particularly for young people.
DELIVERING IMPACT THROUGH SKILLS & PARTNERSHIPS
Each winning organisation will receive a professional colour consultation with Martha Dunican, Dulux Commercial Colour Consultant at AkzoNobel, along with Dulux paints from the Colours of the Year 2026 palette. The refurbishments will be fully delivered by Volunteer It Yourself (VIY), working alongside trained volunteers and young people gaining hands-on experience in painting and decorating.
The projects are being delivered at a time when local authority spending on community services has fallen by 18% between 2022 and 20241, accelerating the decline of shared spaces that support health, learning and social connection.
Through the Dulux Let’s Colour initiative, Dulux and VIY have:
Transformed 300+ community spaces in five years
Positively impacted 350,000+ people across the UK
Supported 4,000+ young people aged 14–24 in skills development
Delivered 4,000+ City & Guilds accreditations, with over half in painting and decorating
Dunican added, “Colour has a powerful way of shaping how we feel and how we connect with the spaces around us. With Rhythm of Blues, we wanted to reflect the different rhythms of everyday life and bring that feeling into the community spaces people rely on most. This competition is about helping to create welcoming places that inspire pride, creativity and a real sense of belonging, and we’re so happy we get to help these three winning spaces.”
For more information on Dulux’s Let’s Colour – Colour of the Year Community Competition, please visit: www.dulux.co.uk/en/letscolour2026
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