With its first year in 2024 bringing 34 new murals to Nottingham’s streets, Art Fest is back this month to splash more colour and creativity on walls throughout the city. Festival Director Benjamin Kay, who co-runs The Carousel in Hockley, tells us why he set up the festival and what to expect from this year…
How did Art Fest first come about, and what was your original vision for it?
I’ve been working with visual artists for over ten years, first as a printmaker, then through The Carousel, and now with Art Fest. For me, visual art is about making our everyday environments more interesting, and it’s a privilege to work with artists who do that. But it’s also an industry that is undervalued and often underfunded, so I’ve made it my mission to support artists wherever I can.
A year ago I was approached by It’s in Nottingham to coordinate more city centre murals, something we had been doing in the city for five years. I saw the chance to bring to Nottingham something that happens in so many other cities: a visual art festival that turns the streets into outdoor galleries. That’s how Art Fest was born.
Our first year brought together more than thirty artists and thousands of people showed up in support of the event. That initial vision has now grown into our mission to paint art into the heart of Nottingham and in our second year that's what we will be doing.
Where can people see murals from last year? And what locations are you excited about this year?
Last year we focused on the ‘Green Heart’ of the city centre, an area we’ve been working in with the council for several years. You can take a walk from the new Central Library, across Bridlesmith Gate, down Middle Hill by Nottingham Contemporary, and on to Sussex Street. Along the way you’ll see projects we’ve developed over the last six years, as well as the 34 murals created for last year’s festival.
This year we’re going bigger with some of the largest walls in the city. I’m excited to be working with major stakeholders like the Victoria Centre, where local artist Elroy will be painting for two weeks! Kim Thompson is creating a piece at Broadway Cinema as we speak. We will be painting Wax Bar, The Waterways, Discobowl, The Carousel and our favourite pub, The King Billy. Most of all, I’m thrilled that we’re bringing the ‘Creative Quarter’ back to Sneinton Market - in a grassroots way, with many artists based there and Midlands Makers hosting an art market in the Avenues.
Cities are complex spaces, full of people moving for work, leisure, and everything in between. Public art interrupts that routine, it catches your eye, brings moments of joy, and gives character to the streets
How do you think public art affects people’s everyday relationship with the city?
Cities are complex spaces, full of people moving for work, leisure, and everything in between. Public art interrupts that routine, it catches your eye, brings moments of joy, and gives character to the streets.
In Nottingham we’re lucky to have so many individuals and organisations working to make the city a great place to live. Public art adds another layer to that. It creates opportunities for local artists to be paid for their craft, allows murals to reflect the communities and places we care about, and ultimately helps give Nottingham the identity and atmosphere it deserves.
How do you involve local residents, businesses, or young people in Art Fest?
Art Fest is built on collaboration. This year, we’re especially excited to be working with the businesses around Sneinton Market, which has always been a home for Nottingham’s creative energy.
On the festival day we’ll be running tours so people can explore the murals and hear the stories behind them. We’ll also be holding workshops to encourage young people to get hands-on with visual art, and to inspire the next generation of muralists.
What makes a mural truly ‘belong’ in Nottingham, in your view?
A mural belongs to the city when it’s embraced by its residents. That’s why Art Fest is about more than just painting walls, it’s about creating an event where people come out into the streets to experience art together.
It also matters that we work with local artists and collaborators. Many of the artists painting this year are from Nottingham, and the support we’ve had from local businesses, organisations, and the press helps root the festival in the city. Most of all, when residents stop us to say they enjoy the work, that’s when a mural truly belongs here.
How do you go about curating the artists and selecting spaces around the city?
We put out an open call for artists, and I’m supported by an advisory board of local creatives who help shape the line-up. My role isn’t really that of a curator, it’s more about coordination, bringing together artists, communities, and organisations.
Finding walls is an ongoing process. It means constant conversations with developers, landlords, and businesses, negotiating permissions and figuring out what’s possible. The long-term dream is to keep adding to the city’s collection until Nottingham is filled with street art - if anyone out there can help with that let us know!
What are some of the most unusual or challenging locations you’ve painted?
Every wall comes with its own challenges, but one that stands out is a mural we created on Middle Hill in collaboration with My Town Vision. Because part of the wall was alongside the tram line, we could only paint between midnight and 6am with head torches to light our way. On the final day the sun came up and the tram passed to some new artwork for the city. It was tough, but also one of those unique experiences that makes this kind of work so memorable.
How can people get involved in Art Fest?
The best way is to come along on Saturday 20 September. We’ll have murals, tours, workshops, and an art market, plenty to get stuck into.
We’re also crowdfunding to help cover rising operational costs like equipment hire and licensing, which eat into the budget for workshops and tours. If you can support us through that, it makes a huge difference. And if you can’t be directly involved this year, keep an eye out, because we want Art Fest to grow and there will be more opportunities to take part in future years.
Art Fest takes place on Saturday 20 September with various events happening around the city. For more information, head to their website.
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