Look Up Festival has a selection of new walls to consider, as Portsmouth City Council has once again put forward sites to be used as part of the popular street art festival that debuted in Portsmouth last year.
The plan for walls to be painted is available on the council’s democracy webpages and was agreed by cabinet at the decision meeting on the afternoon of July 23. It includes areas in the north of the city for the first time.
The first ever Look Up festival, held last year, was very successful, with approximately 200 murals created over one weekend, 20,000 visitors and a positive response from Portsmouth locals. The festival is set to return this year on the weekend of 14 and 15 September.
This year, the council wants to build on the previous year and offer artwork opportunities in even more communities.
Due to be included are the walls around Hilsea Lido, which is currently undergoing a huge renovation, and those surrounding the Jubilee Splash Pool next door. Sites across Portsmouth will be put forward, including in North End and Cosham, as well as Somerstown and central Portsmouth.
Cllr Darren Sanders, Cabinet Member for Housing and Tackling Homelessness, said: “We worked with Look Up last year because we wanted to bring art, and the benefits that art brings, into our communities, especially those that have traditionally been overlooked. I’m looking forward to seeing which of the council walls we have identified will become works of art as part of the festival.”
As part of the decision process the council will write to and visit residents that will be living in a council-owned block proposed for a mural or overlooking any public art, to make sure any art is something residents would like, and what kind of styles they favour.
Residents in the city can also view the locations map as part of the report and contact the council on housing.engagement@portsmouthcc.gov.uk if they have any concerns or questions.
There will also be opportunities to speak to council staff face to face in the run up to the event.
Staff will be available at:
- Somersfest on Saturday 27 July
- Charles Dickens family event Monday 29 July between 12.30 – 1.30pm
- Cosham Library on Monday 29 July between 10:30 and 11:30am
The festival is also holding free workshops over the weekend of the 14 and 15 September at Ark Charter Academy – you can book a spray paint workshop and a doodle workshop.
You can also visit the LOOK UP Portsmouth website