Huge street art festival returns with new artwork to be created across the city

The festival will burst into life on September 14 and 15, showcasing spectacular murals from 117 international, national and local artists with permanent artworks created on 30 buildings including prime spots on the Gunwharf Quays railway arches, the multi-storey carpark in Alec Rose Lane and Portsmouth Museum and Art Gallery. A landmark piece by local artist Midge will also be created at the end of Eastney Esplanade.

The first signs of what the city can expect are starting to appear with some of the artists already making a start, including at Wimbledon Park where American artist Beau Stanton’s creation was influenced by his visit to the Mary Rose, the local architecture and the flora in the park.

Renowned Bristol-based artist ‘Getting Up To Stuff’ will be bringing his latest work to the city – a life size sculpture of an elderly lady, titled Old Granny McTavish, gazing upwards at key locations where vibrant street art will soon appear as part of the festival. Granny McTavish will be photographed at surprise locations across the city with eagle-eyed art lovers not being told where she may appear next.

LOOKUP Portsmouth, run by ‘Art Up (Portsmouth)’ CIC, is designed to celebrate and enhance Portsmouth’s vibrant street art scene. The festival, which attracted 20,000 visitors to the city last year, actively promotes the inclusion of female street artists and other under-represented groups while upholding a strict selection process. It is committed to nurturing female and local talent, expanding the pool of high-quality artists from which it can draw.

“We strongly support and echo the words of Keith Haring when he said, ‘Art is universal and is capable of reaching all levels of life. Art is for everybody.’, said festival director Angela Parks. 

“LOOKUP aims to bring creativity, inspiration, and surprise to the streets of Portsmouth at a time when many of us have neither the time, energy, inclination, nor funds to visit galleries or museums. 

“Bringing international and local artists together for the second year, our programme includes work by the incredible American artist Beau Stanton, who has painted a piece inspired by the Mary Rose, local architecture, and plants; and local children, who we have been teaching to paint murals based on feedback from last year.” 

With preparations well underway, the 2024 celebration is set to be even larger, extending across the entire city and featuring two workshops: one on doodling, with 160 places available, and another on spray painting, with 120 places available for budding artists. Additionally, there will be a drop-in Creative Corner offering everything from pavement chalks to paints and markers for all ages to enjoy.

Residents from deprived areas will have free priority access to these workshops, providing valuable opportunities for these communities. They will play a significant role in developing exciting new street art projects, aiming to inspire and support the city’s children and contribute to a culturally enriched and vibrant future for Portsmouth.

“Be like Old Granny McTavish,” said Getting Up To Stuff. “Keep those chins up, chests out, shoulders back and eyes on the prize. Portsmouth is looking up”.

Here are just some of the places where artists will be working this weekend are:

• Salvation Army Hostel
• A3 bridge
• University Library
• Carers’ centre
• University Richmond Building
• Cosham Railway Station
• Queens Hotel
• Charter School
• Multi-storey car park
• Southsea Railway Station
• Cosham Kwiki-Mart
• Harbour School Lighthouse
• Queens Hotel
• Cosham Library
• Froddington Arms
• Baffins Library
• Grovesnor Street Garden
• Hilsea Lido Café