Weston Wallz returns to town with 18 new murals

Returning to the seaside town between Saturday, August 31 and Saturday, September 14, Upfest has unveiled a world-class roster of artists who will bring a vibrant splash of creativity and colour to the streets of Weston-super-Mare.

Supported by Arts Council England, Weston Town Council, Super Culture and First Bus, this year’s event promises to transform public spaces with stunning street art while engaging the local community in an array of free artistic activities.

Adding to the already existing 41 murals that have been created over the past three years, Weston Wallz 2024 will welcome 18 brand-new large-scale artworks from a diverse selection of local, national and international artists.

Joining 16 renowned street artists, two local artists from the ScaleUP Weston Mentor programme will also be leaving their mark on the seaside town with support from street art connoisseurs Andy Council & Acerone.

This year’s street-art-extravaganza will bring 16 talented artists to Weston-super-Mare, each renowned for their unique style and flair.

The line-up includes Anna Higgie, Dave Bain, Dave McMillan, Emotional Waterfall, .Epod, Hass, Jack Lack, Jayde Perkin, Karl Read, Lionel David, Mind49, Rosie Woods, Tanith Gould, Urban Butterfly, Zabou and Zubieta.

Adding to the world-class roster are two local artists from Upfest’s ScaleUP Weston Mentor Programme, which supports local talents who have never before painted at scale in public.

Lauren Clark and Nick Roberts will be drawing inspiration from a recently commissioned poem by Beth Calverley, Poet in Residence at University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust (UHBW), which explores the theme of water based on conversations with patients at Weston General Hospital.

The Weston Wallz 2024 programme kicks off with a Paint Jam hosted by S.M.A.R.T. On Saturday 31 August.

Local arts facilitator Lin Toulcher will be gathering artists from across the area for a day packed with live painting at the Italian Gardens in the town centre, providing a dynamic start to the street art programme of activities.

The celebrations will also feature an extensive Arts Activity Programme that will run from Saturday 31 August until Saturday 14 September, featuring workshops hosted at The Stable WsM, as well as Street Art Tours with free activities that can be booked through Yuup.

Free activities include; Critter Creations, character drawing with Bristol-based artist Ejits, Mandala Painting – turning LP records into canvases, spray paint workshops with Sophie Long and more.

Steve Hayles, co-founder of Upfest, said: “We love coming back to Weston-super-Mare for Weston Wallz.

“The level of talent that comes to the town each year is just brilliant – but what’s even better than that is how much the community and residents are engaged with it.

“Fundamentally, art is for everyone and the street art trails that we’ve created and are building upon year by year just gives even more people access to incredible artworks.

“Thanks to the awesome support from Weston Town Council and Arts Council England, Weston Wallz has become a favourite on the events calendar and we can’t thank them enough.”

Cllr Simon Harrison-Morse, Weston Town Councillor, said: “Art has the incredible power to heal, connect, and inspire, which is why events like Weston Wallz are so important for the community.

“The vibrant murals and creative activities provide not just a visual feast, but also a space for reflection and connection.

“We’re thrilled to see how these artworks will bring joy and spark conversations among residents and visitors alike, contributing to the well-being and cultural richness of Weston-super-Mare.”

First Bus will be the sustainable transport partner for Weston Wallz.

With regular services running from Bristol, Clevedon and Portishead, visitors can get to Weston=super-Mare for as little as £2.

First bus also have a discounted £10 West of England group ticket, allowing unlimited travel all day for up to five people (only available on the First Bus app).

Head to the First Bus website for more details on services running to Weston-super-Mare.

To keep up to date with everything Weston Wallz you can follow Weston Wallz on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter or visit the Upfest website for more information.

Further details will be available at https://superculture.org.uk/ and https://wsm-tc.gov.uk.