“It was mostly just us inviting our mates to paint … We did it in one weekend and no one really knew that we were doing it, so people came to work on Monday and went like ‘oh, what is this’.
“It was never really the plan to establish a long-running festival.”
Fast-forward to 2025, and Boon has become just that.
It is a firm staple on the Hamilton event calendar, with walls not only in the CBD, but in Hamilton East, Dinsdale and Frankton shining in new colours.
Bradley said he was proud of the development.
“It literally changed the face of the city. I feel like Hamilton has become a prouder place; it’s no longer the little brother of Auckland.
“[Boon has] done a lot for people’s engagement with the arts; it brought the art to the people.”
The name Boon, which is an old word for blessing, favour or something helpful, came from Bradley’s partner, Stephanie Christie, a poet.
“We didn’t want to be generic like ‘Hamilton Street Art Festival’ or so, we wanted it to have its own identity.”
Hamiltonians are in for a new dose of art from March 13-16, after the festival took a break from murals to give sculptures a stage last year.
As part of the anniversary event programme, school groups and the community are invited to help local artist Alice Alva paint Boon’s 100th mural in Lovegrove Lane in Hamilton East.
The other participating artists creating the remaining five murals are Alison Mooney, of Australia, Kophie Su’a-Hulsbosch, of Christchurch, Flox & Sweats, of Auckland, Theo Arraj, now of Raglan, and Te Marunui Hotene, of Whakatāne.
The festival programme also features a birthday party with food trucks, face painting, creative markets and live music, a design-a-mural competition for children at Waikato Museum, a mural scavenger hunt, workshops and a silent disco.
For the first time, businesses that want to support local art can sponsor one of the murals by “purchasing” it for $3500.
Besides receiving the blueprints for the artwork, the buyers would be promoted on social media and featured on a plaque with the artist’s name, a brief artwork description, and the buyer’s logo.
Individuals wanting to do something a bit more hands on behind the scenes are invited to email volunteers@boonarts.co.nz because the team are still looking for passionate, team-oriented volunteers to bring the festival to life.
For more information about the festival go to boonarts.co.nz or go to their Facebook and Instagram page @BoonArts for updates and behind-the-scenes content.
Boon Street Art Festival 2025 schedule
Thursday, March 13
- Mural scavenger hunt
- Kids’ design-a-mural competition at Waikato Museum
- Community wall painting in Lovegrove Lane with Alice Alva – School groups only
Friday, March 14
- Boon Street Art Festival X Hayes Common early-morning silent disco (lLimited tickets via hayescommon.co.nz)
- Mural scavenger hunt
- Kids’ design-a-mural competition at Waikato Museum
- Community wall painting in Lovegrove Lane with Alice Alva – School groups only
Saturday, March 15
- Community wall painting in Lovegrove Lane with Alice Alva – everyone welcome
- Mural scavenger hunt
- Kids’ design-a-mural competition at Waikato Museum
- Street Art Decks workshop with Brya Rose (limited tickets via bryarose.co.nz)
- Boon Street Art Festival Birthday Party in Lovegrove Lane (free, family friendly event with pop-up Bootleg Brewery, food trucks, face painting, creative markets and live music)
Sunday, March 16
- Community wall painting in Lovegrove Lane with Alice Alva – everyone welcome
- Mural scavenger hunt
- Boon X Waikato Museum events (street art workshop, live music, design-a-mural competition winner announcement and mural scavenger hunt draw)
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