Upfest launches 2020 crowdfunder

Europe’s largest free, live street and urban art festival Upfest is calling for help to reach the £25,000 crowd-funding target required to make the 2020 festival happen.

Returning after a fallow year in 2019, Upfest has launched its crowdfunding campaign through Fundsurfer as the event looks set to return to the streets of South Bristol over the weekend of May 30-June 1 with its biggest-ever lineup of local, national and international artists.

An earlier date isn’t the only change to Europe’s largest street art festival this year. For 2020, Upfest, crafted with Posca, will take over Greville Smyth Park for the event’s first ever ‘green field’ festival – as well as occupying the original Upfest venue, the Tobacco Factory.

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The huge walls and murals traditionally painted during the festival weekend will be created in the fortnight leading up to the festival weekend; giving more people the chance to witness these spectacular creations come to life first-hand. The murals will be complete for viewing while over 250 artists paint live alongside music stages and food and drink experiences.

Rewards for sponsorship vary from street photography tours with local photographer Colin Moody, original stencil works from Emily Donald and limited-edition prints from artists Mr Penfold, Sophie Long and Bex Glover.

Donators to the crowdfunding campaign can also receive places on a variety of classes and workshops, ranging from stencil, Posca, cross-stitch, graff and DJing, as well as Upfest merchandise including t-shirts, drawing pads, stickers and even a miniature wall and Posca pen pack.

Upfest 2020 will be the biggest yet, taking over Greville Smyth Park as well as its traditional home, the Tobacco Factory. Pics: Paul Box

The crowdfunding programme enables Upfest to put on this free festival year after year, paying for the vital infrastructure it takes to manage the tens of thousands of visitors, as well as providing materials to the festival’s 350 attending artists who all financially support themselves with travel and accommodation for the festival.

Stephen Hayles, Upfest founder said: “We’re incredibly proud of the growth of Upfest over the past 11 years. But as we’ve grown so too has the cost to run the festival – and this year is our most ambitious to date.

“There are only a limited number of grants available to events like ours, so naturally crowdfunding has always played a huge part in funding Upfest. Crowdfunding presents a perfect opportunity, not only to raise the much-needed cash to put on the festival, but to reward those who contribute in a variety of ways.”

To donate and grab yourself some exclusive rewards, visit www.fundsurfer.com/crowdfund/upfest-2020. For more info on Upfest 2020, visit www.upfest.co.uk or keep up to date on social media by following @Upfest on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

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