Waterford Walls returns with stellar lineup for its 10th year
The event brings together street artists from all over the world.
The legendary Waterford Walls festival is returning this August for its 10th outing.
Ireland's largest International Street Art festival will be running from Friday, August 9, until Sunday, August 18.
This year, there is an overwhelming lineup of featured artists from around the globe.
The nine-day festival schedule will include workshops, tours, talks, breakdancing, DJs, movie screenings, and live painting events.
The Forum will be the hub for many events throughout the festival run, and there will be a wide range of craft beer courtesy of Wicklow Wolf brewery.
Festival Manager Gabe McGuinness said: "We're thrilled to be announcing such a jam-packed lineup of artists featuring long-running festival favourites and exciting new names never seen before in Waterford as we celebrate our 10th anniversary."
The festival began in 2014 with the aim goal of supporting artists and communities through the commission of street art.
Over the decade since, the walls of Waterford have flourished with the striking murals created by many talented artists, all thanks to the festival. The murals have helped revamp and revitalise buildings and facades that have seen better days.
With dereliction an ongoing issue in the city, the work of Waterford Walls is a vital balm for urban regeneration.
For the 2024 festival, 38 artists are featured on the lineup.
Irish artists Shane O'Malley, Niall.ol and Dan Leo are already well known for their art across Waterford City, such as the latter's dramatic tiger mural located on Military Barracks.
Dan said in a post from 2023: "Waterford is a forward-thinking county and has shown me a lot of support over the years and I’m very grateful."
Shane O'Malley painted a beautiful, vibrant mural on a former handball alley in Lismore as part of the festival last year.
On the international front, there are artists from the US, France, Germany, Italy, Portugal, Peru, Argentina, Belgium and Brazil included in this year's festival.
Dublin-based French visual artist Claire Prouvost will be sharing her colourful, cubist-inspired art to the streets of Waterford.
The lineup includes British artists Ed Hicks, EPOD and Louis Masai, German artists Various & Gould, and Italian artists RAME13 and Luago Comune, to name a few.
Coming from the US, iconic graffiti artist Chris ‘Daze’ Ellis and muralist JEKS will also be part of the lineup.
Daze cut his teeth in the 1970's, spray-painting subway cars in New York City. By the early 80's, he was presenting his work alongside fellow artists Keith Haring and Jean-Michel Basquiat. His contribution to this year's festival will be hotly anticipated.
Earlier this May, Waterford Walls was selected as part of Call #3 of the European Festivals Fund for Emerging Artists (EFFEA).
They are taking part in the venerable EFFEA Discovery strand with their artist Silly Me.
Waterford Walls is supported by a coterie of sponsors and funders, including Waterford City and County Council, The Arts Council, Creative Ireland, Waterford Cultural Quarter, the European Festival Association, Colourtrend Paints, Montana Cans, Number 21, Zinnia, Fyrefli, Rapid Cabs and Fitzgerald Power.
The embassies of France, Italy, Portugal and Belgium are supporting the participation of their country's artists.
