The Urban Canvas Mural Festival saw six inner-city councils commission 30 artists to create large-scale murals on some of Melbourne’s most graffiti prone areas between 17-30 April.
Each mural incorporates the theme of Belong/Nugal (a Woi Wurrung translation – pronounced ‘Naar-Gaw’) and acts as a creative approach to graffiti management and deterring vandalism.
The project featured a dedicated Festival Hub on Carlisle Street, Balaclava, which included an art exhibition, workshops, youth mentoring program and an art apprenticeship program.
The results were stunning with vibrant artwork installed at:
- 34 Jackson Street, St Kilda. Artist: Queer-ways
- Substation behind 1/30 Grey Street, St Kilda. Artist: 23rd Key
- 62 Inkerman Street, St Kilda. Artist: Mayonaize
- 170-172 Chapel Street, St Kilda. Artist: Fikaris
- Shelley Street Bridge, Elwood. Artist: Kitt Bennett
Artistic duo Queer-ways‘ Jackson Street mural is near the Victorian Pride Centre.
LUCIANO, one half of Queer-ways was inspired to take part in the Urban Canvas Mural Festival to highlight the rich LGBTIQA+ history of St Kilda.
“Our mural celebrates the contributions that people have made in St Kilda,” explained LUCIANO. “It features different people significant to St Kilda’s queer history marching in the Pride March down Fitzroy Street.
“We wanted the mural to represent the whole spectrum of the LGBTIQA+ community, so we made reference to history and locations significant to different parts of our community.”
The artwork includes an augmented reality component where you can retrace the LGBTIQA+ footprints of St Kilda by scanning a QR code.
Port Phillip Council Mayor Heather Cunsolo said each mural adds to Port Phillip’s incredible catalogue of public street art.
“Urban Canvas continues to deliver vibrant works of art for our City which provide greater connection and celebrate what makes each of our suburbs unique.”
The Urban Canvas Mural Festival was funded by the Victorian Government’s Community Support Fund, and aims to prevent graffiti vandalism through the installation of unique street art. The idea is that taggers are less likely to deface public spaces featuring street art.
The selected locations are high profile sites, mostly on third-party assets, identified as illegal graffiti hotspots.
Usually, councils can’t remove graffiti or touch assets owned by the Victorian Government and third parties such as utility suppliers and transport providers.
Under the Urban Canvas project, however, government agencies and companies including Australia Post, Transport Victoria, NBN Co, Telstra, United Energy, Citipower and South East Water have given permission for art to appear on their assets.
