Popular art event Upfest scraps upcoming festival due to rising costs - will move to biannual model

The organisers of Europe’s largest street art and graffitti festival have announced next year’s event will not go ahead due to rising costs. Upfest sees hundreds of the world’s finest street artists descend upon Bristol, decorating much of the city with murals and exhibits.

The free-to-attend festival will move to a biannual model with plans already being mapped out for Upfest 2024. In May, Upfest 2022 saw the festival move to a new location - Greville Smyth Park, as well as Ashton Gate Stadium and the Tobacco Factory. More than 400 artists from 70 countries congregated for a weekend of street art.

Steve Hayles, Upfest co-founder said: “We’re gutted to not be putting on the festival in 2023 but the risk to the organisation is just too great. We know our visitors love the festival and it has played a big part in making Bedminster a street art hub for the city and has become known internationally for it.

“With rising infrastructure costs, site fees and without funding, we won’t be able to raise the funds we need in 2023 to keep the festival free, so instead we will turn our attention to 2024. Anyone who would like to support or sponsor the festival in 2024 would be very welcome and please do get in touch.”

To keep up to date with updates from Upfest visit www.upfest.co.uk