News / Upfest
Upfest 2023 cancelled amid ‘rising costs’
Europe’s largest street art festival, Upfest, has announced it will not be going ahead in 2023.
In a statement on Twitter and on Upfest’s website, organisers announced that the festival will not go ahead next year following a “rise in infrastructure costs”.
Instead the festival will now move to a biannual model, so that attention can be focused on planning ahead for 2024.
is needed now More than ever
Organisers said they needed to raise at least £180,000 to continue to put on such a global large-scale free event in 2024.
“As one of the city’s largest free-to-attend festivals, it is important to the Upfest team that it remains a free festival for everyone to attend,” said the organisers.
The weekend-long festival attracts over 50,000 visitors each year from across the world, with thousands more visiting the streets of Bedminster throughout the year.
This year saw visitors descend on Bedminster and Greville Smyth Park for the first time since the pandemic, with over 50 countries taking part.
Previous years have seen large-scale murals brought to Bedminster from renowned global artists such as Kobra’s John Lennon mural and Insane51’s 3D piece featuring Greek Goddess NYX.
This year street artist Karl Read paid tribute to the Ukrainian president in his mural of Volodymyr Zelensky as Superman.
Volodymyr Zelensky by Karl Read at Upfest – photo: Martin Booth
“The Upfest team will focus on other projects and interventions throughout 2023 including artist exhibitions at their North Street Gallery, as well as getting a head start on 2024 planning,” organisers said.
Steve Hayles, the co-founder of Upfest said: “After such an incredible festival in 2022, we’re gutted to not be putting on the festival in 2023 but the risk to the organisation is just too great.
“We know our visitors love the festival and it has played a big part in making Bedminster a street art hub for the city and has become known internationally for it.
“With rising infrastructure costs, site fees and without funding, we won’t be able to raise the funds we need in 2023 to keep the festival free, so instead we will turn our attention to 2024.”
Organisers are appealing to supporters and sponsors for the 2024 festival.
Main photo: Martin Booth
Read next:
- In photos and video: Bristol’s Upfest 2022
- Two Bristol museums close early for 2022 due to staff shortages
- Spicer & Cole close cafe ‘with a heavy heart’
- Upfest plays tribute to president Zelensky
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