Worcester Paint Festival brings new works of art to the city

The event, now in its third year, celebrates graffiti and street art - and sees artists creating new murals in locations throughout Worcester.

An exhibition at Worcester City Art Gallery and Museum runs alongside the festival and will be open until January 6.

Annatomix working on her mural of a fox (Image: NQ)

Organiser Kate Cox said: “This is our third year of the actual festival - before that we’d done a test event in 2020 with four or five local artists.

“It’s going really well - it feels as if it’s going on for weeks,” she joked. “I’ve been in this unit in Crowngate for 10 days so this is the end for us.

“But we’ve had lots of people coming in to find out about it - and getting out and about seeing the murals.

“We also have the Paint The Streets exhibition at the art gallery. That’s something we’ve been working on for more than a year-and-a-half.

Codo steps back from his mural in Cripplegate Park (Image: NQ)

“There’s some original works from the 80s that are super rare, we’ve got original works from Banksy and Shepard Fairey, and from some of our Paint Festival artists.

“And it takes you through the history of UK graffiti including Worcester, Bristol and the Midlands.”

Kate said the festival will certainly return in 2024, but may take on a different look behind the scenes, with an even bigger focus on community work.

READ MORE: All the places to find Worcester Paint Festival this weekend

Worcester Paint Festival has previously been involved in projects in Ronkswood and other areas of the city, and the Oasis Academy in Warndon is among this year’s locations.

Volunteer Dan Bayliss, who was helping artist Annatomix in Dent Close, off Wyld’s Lane, said: “I’m just here talking to people about it really.

The festival sees new works of art created around the city (Image: NQ)

“I volunteered to help because if people don’t get involved, we won’t be able to have things like this.

“I’m delighted to be here with Anna because I’ve got a couple of her pieces at home - although nothing this size!”

The festival headquarters in Crowngate is open today and tomorrow (Sunday, September 17).

The art gallery, which doesn’t usually open on Sundays, is also open tomorrow.

In a change to the original schedule, Hazard One has been working on the roof of the Crowngate car park rather than at Worcestershire Royal Hospital.