UPFEST 10 Press Release

Europe’s Biggest Urban Art Festival Just Got Bigger!

Upfest’10 - The Urban Paint Festival Releases Full Line-up

More than just Europe’s biggest urban and street art festival, Upfest has announced the broad range of events taking part at the two-day festival in Bristol.

As in previous years, the festival will be centred on live painting at the Tobacco Factory on 5th and 6^th of June. Over 200 urban artists and illustrators will be painting live over the weekend, with 50 artists having come from around the world to be a part of the event. The artists will be mixing it up with this year’s MashUP theme, with some very special collaborations due to take place.

Upfest’10 will kick off with a preview of the Urban View group show at View Art Gallery (159-161 Hotwell Road, BS8 4RY). The show features work from seven urban and contemporary artists and will run through 17th July.

Saturday, the festival will be in full swing at the Tobacco Factory (North Street, BS3 1TF). From 11am, over 200 urban artists and illustrators will be painting live. Visitors to the free event are also invited to take part in the painting, with a children’s painting area and the Kiss101 Give It a Go painting boards.

The Tobacco Factory will also host a Very Affordable Art Sale and dedicated print room, where original artwork and prints by the artists painting at the festival will be available for sale at bargain prices. There will also be badge making, clothing, and art material stalls around the venue.

Throughout the weekend, DJs, beatboxers, hip hop groups and MCs will take to two stages at the Tobacco Factory (full schedule attached). Along with music, the world renowned Kompany Malakhi will host dance workshops on Saturday.

During the day (11 am to 6 pm) on Saturday, a live illustration event will take place indoors in the Tobacco Factory Theatre Foyer. In the evening (6 pm), six artists will battle it out in a Secret Wars live art competition. The public will vote to decide whether Upfest or Monorex will be named champions of the 90-minute battle at the Tobacco Factory Cafe Bar.

The evening will wrap up (10 pm to 4am) with the Upfest’10 Mid-Festival Party at Basement 45 (8 Frogmore St., BS1 5NA), presented in association with Kiss101, featuring The Loose Cannons, Ninebar Sound System, Chris Read (Music of Substance), Dave Cridge (Ninja Tune) and Kiss101 DJs. Tickets available at Bristol Tickets Shop (£4.50) or on the door (£5 before 11, £6 after).

Upfest’10 continues on Sunday at the Tobacco Factory from 10 am with additional live painting, music, and art sales. Upfest has raised over £10,000 for Nacoa (National Association for Children of Alcoholics) since the festival began and as in previous years, Upfest’10 will raise awareness of and fundraise for the charity..