A free street art festival has left a lasting and accessible legacy in this Gloucestershire community
I’m in a dilapidated car park and there is rubble crunching under my feet. All around me are brightly-coloured murals, transforming the nondescript space into an art gallery. I’m in Cheltenham, which is known for itsin 2017 and the event now takes place annually each July. Its legacy, however, can be enjoyed year round. You don’t have to wander far from Cheltenham’s Regency buildings before coming across a mural.
During the festival’s first year, in 2017, it was mainly Davies’s artist friends painting, but the event now attracts more than 170 artists from all over the world to paint walls in 30 locations. His first public-art stencil piece was of his then five-year-old daughter, Izzy. In the mural, she is striking a pose in pink boots and sunglasses. It remains on the wall of Williams Cycles, much to his daughter’s distaste.While the festival attracts some big names – My Dog Sighs, Inkie, Irony, Krimsone, and Snub, to name a few – it is a democratic affair. Anyone from any background can apply to paint and Davies ensures there’s a 50-50 split of male and female artists.
And, this year, art lovers supported a crowdfunding campaign that was launched by a member of the community to help save the under-funded festival from closure.Beyond the murals, visitors will find much to enjoy on a longer stay in Cheltenham.
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