ELEMENTS will be a high profile showcase of public street art embedded at a local level. Injecting life into a patch of land in the Ouseburn - Newcastle’s art quarter - the festival will provide opportunity for huge wall murals creating a spectacular, free, public gallery.
Using core themes of celebrating local creativity & sense of place, ELEMENTS will also feature public facing, community aimed workshops & activities leading to the large-scale showcase of street art accompanied by a host of exciting offers. Expect hands on activities, demonstrations, markets, live music & refreshments.
ELEMENTS is being led by local artist Mark One87 and Building Culture, with support from Project North East. Our collaborative approach sees us working with and supported by a host of local organisations, artists and community groups to create a high impact, colourful and energetic event, with year round legacy.
We can't wait to bring you Newcastle's first street art festival.
What we'll deliver:
- 14 large scale, public wall murals, created by local mural, graffiti and street artists
- A festival weekend to see artwork completed live, featuring food stalls & music
- Art market - at the festival for artists to sell their work / public to support local creatives
- Free participatory art sessions at the festival, open to the public
- A free, open air showcase of street art creating a significant, year round attraction for the Ouseburn and the City
- Community art project No.1, with Wild Roots Community Garden. Working with volunteers to deliver a mural art project
- Community art project No 2: Youth focussed art project with local groups, concluding with collaborative wall murals
- Exhibitions to showcase the work of community projects and local artists
- Opportunities created for local artists at various levels in their career
- A spectacular backdrop for all other activity that takes place on the site
Why it's a great idea:
Calling on its rich heritage as Newcastle’s cultural quarter ELEMENTS will bring together local artists, community groups, businesses and visitors in the Ouseburn through the NE’s first public street art festival.
> Artists will benefit from being part of a high impact, North East showcase, and future artists will find inspiration.
> Community groups will be engaged in workshops and activities, providing skills, opportunities and relationships as well as routes into the arts.
> Locals, visitors and businesses alike will benefit from a dynamic injection of public artwork, through this spectacular ‘open air gallery’ a new destination will emerge.
> People will find platforms and opportunities to help inform the site longer term and to join the wider conversation about the Ouseburn Valley
> All of this will bring people together, building upon a sense of place, pride and ownership encouraging people to celebrate the areas in which they live, work and play.
Steps to get it done:
- Festival announcement and media campaign launched
- Festival artists announced
- Community workshops commence - Engagement & Design sessions
- Community murals painted with participants
- Community projects showcased at free exhibition
- Festival weekend planning - logistics, markets, refreshments, entertainment etc
- Site prepared for artists with base coats
- Painting week commences in the build up to festival weekend
- Festival weekend - artworks completed live & celebration event
We're actively working with the various surrounding communities and artists to inform the event. This deeper, more embedded approach seeks to include voices not usually heard through these processes, creating more meaningful engagement and community involvement.
We're making sure our project complements existing work in the area: the art market, the community garden, The Ouseburn Festival are just a few examples and already emergent opportunities are presenting themselves for crossover and support.
Growing support and crossover already includes: Wild Roots Community Garden, Northern Print, The Ouseburn Trust, The Ouseburn Market, Shielfield Youth Programme with more conversations happening each day.
We have a strong evidence base for community outreach work within the field of street art and graffiti via project artist Mark One87. Many examples document positive outcomes in the areas of empowerment, civic pride, wellbeing, cultural exchange and boosts to the local economy.