Brisbane will welcome a plethora of acclaimed local, national and international street artists from around the globe this May, as the city opens its door to Australia’s biggest street art festival program – Brisbane Street Art Festival (BSAF) from May 4 – 19.
The free public art event has 46 commissioned artworks across Brisbane CBD and surrounding suburbs. From live music and panel talks, through to exhibitions and workshops – the program will have something on offer to suit every age group over the two-week period.
Festival Director Lincoln Savage said the public can expect to see more diversity and creative license for artists in 2019, with the program doubling in size from 2018.
“For us, the key driver in doing BSAF year-on-year is the ability to provide a platform that will ignite artistic potential, showcase emerging talent and offer a diverse program of knowledge sharing, creative development and collaboration,” Savage said.
“Our goal is to help create one of the most vibrant, culturally rich cities in Australia that supports the development of emerging artists and continues to empower its creative industries through BSAF.”
BSAF has support from Brisbane City Council and State Government, local businesses and academic institutions that has enabled the program, scope and scale to grow dramatically.
Queensland Minister for the Arts Minister Leeanne Enoch said the festival was one of Queensland’s most exciting emerging arts events, contributing to the state’s impressive and diverse arts and cultural program.
“Brisbane Street Art Festival is a fantastic way to showcase a vibrant and engaging art form while enlivening spaces across the city with colourful and creative mural artworks,” Ms Enoch said.
“The Queensland Government supports emerging talent, creative development and collaboration in the arts – everything this festival is about.”
The city will be awash with colour by artists from countries including England, Spain, Nepal, China and Argentina alongside home-grown talents such as Leonie Rhodes, Leans and Sofles.
The program reflects the diversity of the street art community with 27 prominent female street artists taking part, including Argentinean duo Medianeras and Colombian born Zurik who are helping to break gender disparity in street art.
BSAF acknowledges that First Nations people were the first street artists on this land, stretching back for thousands of years. BSAF is proud to have a number of Indigenous artists in the 2019 festival program, and collaborating with Digi Youth Arts on their ‘where we stand’ program; supporting creative outcomes across regional Queensland communities.
Highlights in the program include;
- Born and raised in Darwin, Northern Territory, Hafleg’s murals utilise a mix of Indigenous and contemporary design. Hafleg will be installing his first work in Brisbane on an Energex substation in West End.
- In the 2018 BSAF program, Queensland University of Technology (QUT) welcomed the large scale work of Mexican Street Artist Said Dokins at the Gardens Point Campus. In a continuation of the Festival’s partnership with QUT, this year will see Argentine duo Medianeras create their first work in Australia at the Kelvin Grove Campus. Medianeras have been creating public street art for the past ten years, in over thirteen different countries, and on twenty different projects and festivals.
- Renown street artist, Sofles, will be joining us again for the third year in a row. His work has been internationally recognised; painting for the past 19 years, Sofles has mastered his craft; gaining the reputation of “Special Effects Wizard”, a reference to his uncanny ability to take any style to the next level.
- A proud Brisbane local and abstract street artist, Leans, finds himself immersed in his daily intake of the internet, the people that surround him, the manmade environment, the past, the future and everything in between. These influences are reflected through his abstract interpretation of the architectural world. Leans will be taking on one of the festivals most ambitious public art projects; ten pillars under the Airtrain railway at the Toombul Centre.
- BSAF curates an annual group exhibition for the duration of the festival; Within These Walls. The exhibition provides an opportunity to showcase their work to the public in a traditional gallery format, works of all shapes and sizes will be exhibited at West Village in West End. Exhibition opening night set for the evening of Saturday, May 4th.
- The 2019 Festival Launch Party to be held at Howard Smith Wharves on the evening of Sunday, May 5th, the Precinct will be taken over by live painting, live music and performance as we celebrate the launch of the program and look forward to the fortnight ahead.
Lord Mayor Graham Quirk said Brisbane City Council was proud to support the 2019 Brisbane Street Art Festival which would create more for residents and visitors to see and do.
“Artwork contributes to Brisbane’s colourful and dynamic character, inspiring pride in our public spaces and creating memorable tourism opportunities,” Cr Quirk said.
“The 2019 Brisbane Street Art Festival provides space for local and emerging artists to bring our city’s infrastructure to life, while promoting Brisbane’s reputation as a great place to live, work and relax.”
When: Saturday 4 May to Sunday 19 May
Where: Brisbane, Queensland
Cost: Free
For more information visit the website www.bsafest.com.au
