Overview
Sunny Frankston has proven itself to be quite the seaside destination in recent years, with a surge in popularity led by what Melburnians love most: hospitality and culture. The seaside is a backdrop, albeit a very pretty one, against vibrant dining and art scenes.
That's why Frankston is the annual host of The Big Picture Fest, a celebration of local and international artists set to a week of live painting, music and more. The 2024 event is pulling eleven world-class artists together to paint mural projects across Frankston, with free events occurring alongside them from Monday, March 18, to Sunday, March 24.
So what's worth your time, who are these artists you're looking for, and where can you stop to refuel along the way? Let's find out.
The eleven talented artists
The Big Picture Fest has a lot of drawcards but the main attraction is the artist program. Eleven artists, six of whom are Australian, are taking part in the festival. Eight of the artists will paint murals across Frankston, while others lead exhibitions and special events.
Of the talent, there's US-based JEKS, a specialist in hyper-realistic mural portraits; pioneering Dutch graffiti artist and muralist GOMAD; Peruvian-born colour specialist BRONIK; Dutch-born post-graffiti muralist URSH and Spanish experimental artist DEMSKY.
The rest of the roster includes globally leading contemporary artist Vexta; photorealistic muralist Calum; Melbourne's local miniaturist Tinky; tattoo artist and fine muralist Kitt Bennett; graffiti and street artist Danny Legs and Adelaide-baed digital artist Fraz the Wizard.
The free events across town
It's possible to enjoy the festival with just a map and your own two feet, but if you'd prefer a bit more insight into the artworks you can book a free street art walking tour. These tours will run every hour on the hour between 10am and 7pm from Friday, March 22—Sunday, March 24.
Many of the boutique events in the program are taking place at Cube 37, a local gallery that frequently hosts art events from local and visiting talent alike. For The Big Picture Fest, the gallery will be hosting an installation by visiting artist DEMSKY, plus the People's Choice Award exhibition of the festival's artists. Here's where you can explore the studio work of all eleven artists and place your vote for a featured artist to be showcased at next year's Big Picture Fest.
Out and about, keep your eyes peeled for the miniaturist works by Tinky, who has two miniature dioramas in the Frankston Library and Cube 37 Gallery and eight more scattered around the laneways and streets of Frankston for the whole week. Oh, and there's the biggest art and music street party to hit Frankston all year…
The Block Party
The culmination of The Big Picture Fest is taking place on the evening of Friday, March 22 with The Block Party, a free event spread across Park Lane and Park Row from 4.30pm to 10.30pm. After a week of celebrating Frankston's arts and culture scenes, it will be time to loosen up with bands, street performers, food trucks, drink vendors and live painting.
The music lineup is impressive, with the starring artists including local dance-punk group Gut Health, the exotica-style beats of Bananagun, art-pop-synthesiser soloist Milku, indie pop rock band Tamara and The Dreams, and DJ Obliveus on the decks.
Keep an eye out for roving performances by theatre troupe Born In A Taxi, and Block Party exclusive projections of digital art by Fraz the Wizard. The precinct will also be welcoming food trucks and alcohol vendors to keep you fed and watered and lounge areas to hang out in.
The local gems worth finding
No matter if you're headed to Frankston for the full week of The Big Picture Fest or just the busy weekend, you need to explore the big picture of the area.
You'll find exposed brickwork, neon lights and a menu meant to be shared at Hotel Lona, modern seafood and pub feeds at Humdinger, sun-soaked beach cocktails at Oliver's Corner, cool craft beers at relaxed bar and bottle-o hybrid The Hop Shop, and delicious plant-based meals at Nature Cafe Bar.
And should you still need an additional art fix beyond The Big Picture Fest's brightly-painted walls and installations, there's always more to discover. Thanks to Frankston City's long-term commitment to all things art, you can find well over 70 gorgeous murals throughout Frankston — from past Big Picture Fests and other city art programs alike.
There's also a concentrated experience to be found at McClelland Sculpture Park and Gallery, a beloved local gallery set in 16 hectares of native bushland. From indoor exhibitions to openair sculpture tours and experiences led by the multiple community groups that operate on its grounds, you'll almost certainly find something to connect with here.
Big Picture Fest 2024 runs from Monday, March 18 to Sunday, March 24. For more information on the event artists or to download an event map, visit the website.