Community Flag Designs for Boston’s Tour of Britain visit

Venue Boston Market Place
Date 3 Sep - 3 Sep
Event Creative Community
An image, taken at a low angle of Tour of Britain cyclists passing by the Transported flags

Celebrating the Lloyds Tour of Britain Through Community Art

3 colourful feather flags featuring designs of fields, produce and rivers can be seen on a roadabout in Boston
8 colourful feather flags can be seen on a roadabout in Boston
Crowds sit on colourful Transported deckchairs to watch the live video footage screening of the Tour of Britain race in Boston Market Square
Colourful feather flags featuring designs of fields, golden wheat, produce and rivers can be seen on a roadabout in Boston with the Transported team installing them seen in the background
Crowds sit on colourful Transported deckchairs to watch the live video footage screening of the Tour of Britain race in Boston Market Square
A close up of a colourful feather flags featuring designs of a river and a pink windmill on a roadabout in Boston

Creating Lincolnshire-Inspired Flags for Boston’s Historic Tour Visit

Using the traditional art technique of quilling, participants transformed strips of paper into vibrant, multidimensional artworks that were developed into flag designs.

In September 2026, Boston welcomed the Lloyds Tour of Britain Men for the very first time in the modern era of the race, and Transported marked the occasion with a special community art project celebrating both the Tour’s arrival and everything that makes Lincolnshire unique.

Transported’s Festival Development Lead, Ruth Pigott, brought together artists Dovile Sakalauskaite and Emily Cartwright to work with local residents to create a series of colourful flag designs inspired by the race, Boston and the Lincolnshire landscape.

Poster from the event's promotion - Graphic illustration of a male cyclist biking by Boston landmarks like St Botolph's Church and the Maud Foster Windmill, using greens, blue and yellow, white & black

What is Quilling?

Image of a quilled paper design underway using green paper to make waves and tight spirals. Craft items can be seen all around.

Quilling is the process of rolling, shaping and arranging strips of paper to create decorative images and patterns. The strips are carefully glued together to form intricate designs with texture, depth and detail, making it a perfect medium for celebrating local landmarks, landscapes and community identity.

Community Workshops

We enjoyed three fantastic workshops with South Lincolnshire residents, including:

  • The Crafty Coffee Club
  • Tonic Health’s HAF Group at Holbeach Hub
  • Tonic Health’s HAF Group at Pescod Hall

It was wonderful to see so many people sharing ideas, stories and creativity while helping to create designs that celebrated Boston’s moment in the spotlight.

Inspired by Lincolnshire

The artwork created through these workshops took inspiration from:

  • The Lloyds Tour of Britain
  • Boston and its local heritage
  • Lincolnshire’s landscapes and open skies
  • The excitement of welcoming elite cycling to the county
  • A group of participants smile at the camera holding up their quilled artworks
  • A close up over the should of two young people using crayons to draw heritage and Lincolnshire inspired artwork
  • A quilled artwork design using beige and brown paper to create a leaf and flower
  • A young boy in a blue t-shirt holds up a curled paper yellow paper to the camera
  • A close up of a quilled artwork design created a sun burst image using yellow, orange and red paper curled and laid out on a white page
  • A close up of a child's drawing of a hedgehog
  • 3 female participants focus on creating their quilled artworks

From paper to print

Emily Cartwright took the finished paper designs and translated them into digital artwork. These were developed into two final designs.

Thanks to the help of Transported’s University of Lincoln colleague, Emma Osbourn, the designs were printed onto fabric to create a collection of eight celebratory flags marking the race’s arrival.

The flags were displayed in Boston town centre on race day, on the helping to create a vibrant welcome for riders and spectators alike.

Project Outcomes

Throughout the project, participants shared ideas, developed new creative skills and celebrated the places, people and landscapes that make Lincolnshire special.

The finished flags provided a colourful and memorable way to mark Boston’s historic Tour of Britain moment, leaving behind a creative legacy created by local communities.

We hope to display the flags again and again in the future, increasing their value and letting as many people as possible see them. Keep an eye on our social media for any display announcements.

Thank you to everyone who took part in the workshops and contributed their ideas, creativity and enthusiasm.

From the first paper strips to the final flags on display, this project showcased the power of community creativity and celebrated an historic occasion for Boston and Lincolnshire.