Eight-storey Braddon mural just the start

The mural is a collaboration between urban artists Phibs (Tim de Haan, from Sydney) and Beastman (Brad Eastman, from Newcastle), who painted it as a teaser for Canberra's first urban art festival, Surface Festival, which premieres next month.

Surface Festival was created by ACT government's City Services in collaboration with the artist Phibs, with support from the City Renewal Authority.

It will be held from March 4-6, transforming blank walls and surfaces across Braddon, the city and more, with Phibs acting as curator.

"Planning is well under way toward delivering this exciting new three-day festival for the City centre, Braddon as well as other parts of Canberra," the ACT's graffiti management coordinator Lisa Petheram said.

"Already 13 walls have been secured in the Braddon and Civic areas that will be used as canvases for the big event. More walls will be announced as we continue to engage with the local community."

Art will appear in laneways and streets in the city and Braddon, with pop-up exhibitions in Woden and Weston Creek.

More than 35 local and interstate artists will spend three days painting walls, showcasing a diversity of themes and subjects.

Phibs, an artist for more than 30 years who's worked in Australia and internationally, said he had been involved in similar festivals but this would be the biggest he had worked on to date.

"It's an exciting one in terms of location and the scale it's going to be," he said.

Phibs said he hoped the festival would show people what authorised street art had to offer in brightening up buildings and public spaces, providing creative opportunities for artists, and drawing people from the ACT and interstate to enjoy the art and contribute to the local economy.

"There are a lot of new developments and existing public art. We're hoping to add to the art trail," he said.

"We want to educate the public and encourage the local art scene."

ACT graffiti management coordinator Lisa Petheram said some of Canberra's graffiti artists - the government has a list of at least 75 of them - had lobbied the government for an event such as the Surface Festival.

It was slated to be held last November, but was postponed due to the pandemic.

"We're hoping it will be an annual event," she said

A full program of events is expected to be unveiled in mid-February.

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