Paint fest transforms Swindon by painting new murals

Clara BullockBBC News
News imageSwindon Paint Fest Mural of woman on a houseSwindon Paint Fest
Over 50 artists and six headliner artists travelled from the US, Spain and Ireland to be part of the festival

A town's second annual paint festival has seen local street artists paint large murals to transform its streets.

Swindon Paint Fest was founded in 2022 and aims to revive the area's street art scene.

Over 50 artists and six headliner artists travelled from the US, Spain and Ireland to be part of the festival.

Alongside the seven large murals, the paint fest also included live painting, an art market, exhibitions, workshops, and street dancers.

News imageSwindon Paint Fest A mural of a fox and a birdSwindon Paint Fest
The festival hopes to revive the street art scene in Swindon that used to be more active in the 80s

Back in the 1980s, Swindon became the murals capital of the UK as the town boasted over 40 murals.

Only Ken White's 1976 Golden Lion Bridge and Sarah Faulkner's 1985 Arkells Brewery are left from that time and the fest hopes to revive the street art scene in Swindon.

Co-organiser Caryn Koh said: "We want to enhance the town and to provide a platform for artists."

News imageSwindon Paint Fest An artist creating a muralSwindon Paint Fest
Ms Koh said the festival wants to "enhance the town a provide a platform for artists"
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