Fabulous murals set to be created across Portsmouth as Look Up Street Art Festival returns

It comes after Portsmouth City Council has approved the installation of murals on 21 walls of buildings it owns across the city as part of the Look Up Street Art Festival which is returning to Portsmouth on September 14 and 15.

Last year around 200 murals were created around the city during the weekend of the festival which attracted 20,000 visitors and hosted workshops for 540 people.

Now, organisers have asked PCC for permission to use council-owned properties for the murals. Local residents will be consulted on the artwork to be displayed on council-owned assets in their area.

During a recent cabinet meeting, Councillor Darren Sanders expressed initial doubts about the project, citing that some “middle-class people have very patronising views of art on council estates and don’t think it should happen.” However, he acknowledged that involving the community in the art process has proven successful and that residents take pride in their area. “We’re involving people in improving their own communities,” he said.

Councillor Lee Hunt added, “Although there is still graffiti, people are understanding this art much more than ever before – it’s influencing our city in a creative way. They’re adding to Portsmouth’s profile as a creative and vibrant city. It’s a really good piece of work and I hope that it’ll be sustained into the future.”

Councillor Suszy Horton highlighted the involvement of local artists in special schools, noting that even children who “may not have the best reputation for respecting things” appreciated the artwork. She added, “We’re not going to have every single wall in the city with a painting on it, even though some people might like that.”

Council documents state that local residents will have the “final say” on any proposed artwork nearby. Letters will be posted through letterboxes asking for their preferred style and theme of artwork.

A full list of proposed locations can be found here.