Waterford gets a fresh paint job with the Walls festival coming to an end
V pictured at the Pocket Park for Rhythm Walls as part of Waterford Walls 2026. Photo: Joe Evans
Waterford Walls 2026 has officially come to an end, with the ten-day festival once again transforming Waterford City and its surrounding areas into an astonishing open-air art gallery.
Over 50 artists from Waterford and beyond took part in this year's festival, creating large-scale murals throughout the city on more than 70 different walls, adding new works to Waterford's world-renowned collection of street art.
Speaking on the festival’s success, Lynn Ferrari, Marketing Operations Manager for the Walls Project, told the Waterford News & Star, "myself and the team are on a real high after this year’s Waterford Walls Festival. It was a huge year for us and, looking back, we really couldn’t have asked for it to go better."
"The level of community engagement and participation this year was fantastic. We had an incredible group of artists come to Waterford, some of the best work we’ve seen produced at the festival, and a brilliant response from both the local community and visitors.
The feedback has been really positive, and seeing people out exploring the city, taking part in events and discovering the new artwork has been great."
This year's festival brought a spectacular range of events to the city, from artist talks, discussion panels and film screenings to draw & dine experiences, walking tours, workshops and interactive activities for all ages.
"The art itself has been phenomenal, but just as important for us is the response from the people who own the walls. We work closely with wall owners throughout the process, and knowing that they’re happy and proud of what has been created on their buildings is a huge part of what makes the festival worthwhile for us," Lynn added.
The annual Waterford Walls Street Party was a real standout at this year's festival, with live painting, breakdancing, music and family-friendly entertainment throughout the day at Pocket Park.
"The support we get from local businesses, organisations and the Council is absolutely essential. Without that support, we simply couldn’t put on a festival of this scale or bring the artists and programme to Waterford that we do each year.
It really felt like everyone pulled together this year, and that allowed us to make 2026 our biggest year yet. We’re incredibly proud of what has been achieved and are finishing the festival on a real high."
