A quiet street in Bedminster exploded with colour and creativity last weekend as a group of street artists took over garden walls in an impromptu community event to raise money for Bristol Children’s Hospital.
On Saturday, Novers Hill hosted a spontaneous paint jam that brought together 11 artists, who turned plain brickwork into a vivid open-air gallery. Live painting was accompanied by food, music and laughter, drawing in neighbours and passers-by for a day of artistic celebration and fundraising.
The event, arranged by a local resident, was designed to promote creativity, community spirit and public expression while supporting a good cause. Attendees were invited to vote on a name for a newly launched public book and game exchange, using labelled jars for donations. The winning name – Page Against the Machine – now marks the lending library that aims to foster shared learning and joy.
Among the artists were Jody, known for the Greta Thunberg mural on the Tobacco Factory, and Joe Greenway, who travelled from St Ives to take part. “Supporting the arts is important for freedom of expression and unites people in a positive way,” Joe said.
“Street art in the community is essential for culture. I live in St Ives, Cornwall so to come to paint in a city like Bristol is both inspiring and humbling. It’s always fun to paint with like-minded creatives. The piece I created represents my grandmother in the 50s. She had my mum in Bristol in 1958 so the city has a special place in my heart.”
Werm collaborated with Koolhand on a jungle-themed mural. He said: “In a fast-moving world and society from AI to global warming, authenticity is declining. Art and creativity are incredibly important outlets to keep as they are real things that have a positive impact, not just an image on a device. The role of street art in the community, whether it be portraits, abstract, lettering or any other form, brings people together – it’s great on the eyes, a conversation starter and much more.”
He added: “There is a huge amount of artists specialising in a wide range of styles, some with many years of experience, some new to the scene so it’s important to keep creating and putting the time in as much as possible to make your work visible. Respect is number one in my opinion.”
DazCat also spoke about the importance of events like this one, saying: “Supporting the arts is invaluable at this time. With many artists working multiple jobs, for some, the price of creating murals can come at a huge expense of energy and time. There’s a sort of contradiction, where graffiti and street art murals are an undeniable contribution to the community and are widely appreciated yet are painfully underfunded.
“With years of cuts to arts funding it does feel as though the general perception of the value of art as a legitimate trade or skill has declined. People love to see free art but are not prepared to invest in those creating it.”
He added: “On a lighter note, this opportunity gave me the time and space to experiment a little, to push myself and include this portrait along with the animal characters I’m known for painting. And I’m grateful for the support.”
Pekoe, whose work blends protest themes and bold visuals, said: “One of the most important things about art for me is conveying messages. Art as protest has become something that is increasingly important in my work as the years have passed, and I think now more than ever it’s important to speak on injustice, inequality and the value of creativity.
“I’ve been using ‘Hot Girls Hate Fascists’ as a tongue-in-cheek protest message in my art, finding that approach a good way to spark questions and conversation, but as global violence and hatred is increasing, now more than ever I feel creatives have a responsibility to speak truth to power, to spread messages of hope and resistance and to communicate with the people around them.
“Public art has an important role to play, as it always has during times of unrest. Fund art, not war – and where war must exist, remember we’re in a class war, not a culture war.”
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