Brisbane Street Art Festival 2023

Overview

Brisbane's streets are about to look a whole lot brighter — and sport a lot more paint, feature giant murals aplenty and showcase a heap more art in general. The reason: the returning Brisbane Street Art Festival, which'll take over the city from Saturday, May 6–Sunday, May 21 in its eighth year.

When it comes to splashing art across the streets, spraying some paint around and stencilling up a storm, this festival offers a firm reminder: no, Banksy isn't the only artist worth celebrating and never has been. Indeed, the street art scene has been thriving in Brisbane for years, which is why this fest even exists.

(That said, this year's BSAF will arrive around the same time as a huge Banksy exhibition hits the River City, so it's basically street art Christmas.)

Sheep Chen and Adnate by Joshua Taten.

Illma Gore also stands out among BSAF's 2023 roster of talent. The Australian artist lives in Los Angeles and has made a name for herself with a toilet made from $100,000 worth of Louis Vuitton bags, a mural made with the blood of 60 protestors and a nude Donald Trump.

Also on the Aussie artist list: Fintan Magee, Gus Eagleton and Tori-Jay Mordey. Cat Eagan, Katherine Viney, Keys and Meimei will all be displaying pieces, as will Mulga, Jeswri, Phoebe Paradise, Pencil Head, Sevens and Vance. In total, the full lineup spans 43 artists and collectives.

The festival's 16-day run will also be complemented by a range of art events, including a big party at Felons Brewing Co, workshops, and using Northshore as its headquarters.

Cam Scale.

Top image: Drapl and Treazy by Aimee Catt. Updated March 23.