Today we have images from the the 9th Edition of the International Street Art Festival Graffitea in Cheste, Spain! Every April for the last nine years, Graffitea presents locals with a dynamic celebration of urban art – transforming the streets of Cheste into a massive canvas with works made by national and international artists.
Located approximately 30 kilometers west of the city of Valencia, Cheste is becoming a notable destination for street art and cultural tourism. Cheste’s vibrant cultural scene is highlighted by several key attractions that draw visitors from far and wide, like the historic town center, its picturesque plazas, Valencian architecture, traditional local markets, the Circuit Ricardo Tormo racing events, and The San Francisco de Asís Church with its baroque architecture and intricate interior.
This year’s festival featured an impressive lineup of artists, including Jota López, B:K Mafia, Bublegum, Barbiturikills, Luca Ledda, La Compañía de Mario, Yeko Yekill, Nemo LKA, Zorro, and Lluís Salvador. Each artist has contributed to an ever-expanding collection of over 130 murals that adorn the façades and walls of Cheste’s residential and industrial buildings. In addition, the festival’s artistic director, Toni Espinar, has created the inaugural mural in the “Muros Insumisos” (Insurgent Walls) series, which aims to provoke thought and dialogue through art.
This year’s theme emphasized the freedom of expression and community collaboration that Graffitea is known for. In addition to live painting, the festival included guided tours, educational workshops, and the screening of a documentary exploring the historical roots of hip-hop, produced over two years of research and filming. Schools in the area also participated, creating collaborative murals as part of the UrbanEducArt competition led by Valencian artist Xemayo.
Cheste, with a population of approximately 8,500, is becoming well known for its street art scene and Graffitea continues to enhance the city’s cultural landscape, cementing its place in the broader network of contemporary art museums and cultural events. The festival’s impact has been recognized with awards for cultural governance and is gradually attracting more international attention. We thank photographer Lluis Olive for regaling BSA readers with some photos he captured during a recent trip to Valencia.
Other Articles You May Like from BSA:
It’s called ALL BIG LETTERS but it could easily be called ALL BIG DREAMS because the outward techniques, the history, and the tools of the trade of graffiti on display at Cantor Fitzgerald Gallery all...
It’s their 5th annual street art festival, Torrefarrera, although you may more accurately call it a mural festival. For a small village of less than 5,000, they have about 40 murals now, and an inter...
Our weekly focus on the moving image and art in the streets. And other oddities. Now screening: Hot Tea "Rituals", Gabriel Specter: "Structures" in Rome, Faith47, Omen, Ricardo Cavolo a...
As upbeat as celebrations like today’s LGBTQ Pride events are here in NYC, they are rooted in defiance of the suffocating unjust norms that entrapped people in this city and across the country f...
“Literally, the art had to leave the museum and come out into the street, as art in public spaces is the only art on display during these strange times,” says photographer Nika Kramer about this new ...