City council collaborates with art team to create graffiti guidebook

By Muhsin Cabdi

Leicester City Council has compiled a guidebook detailing works of street art all over the city.

Leicester is home to a variety of creative street artists and their works

The Leicester Street Art Guide was compiled through the joint efforts of the Leicester City Council and an independent arts association.

Graffwerk is a multifaceted arts project team that aims to liven up city skylines using aerosol street art.

The team was founded Anthony Overend and Izzy Hoskins, who now work as the team’s Company Directors.

Among the team’s many successes is an annual festival known as Bring the Paint.

They focus their efforts on developing sites where individuals can legally create street art as well as offering workshop activities and engaging with the Arts Council.

The guide was compiled by Graffwerk to showcase the vibrant street art scene that has long been established within the city and to act as an aid for people to connect with the art either as an observer or as a participant.

Anthony Overend, co-founder of Graffwerk, said: “Leicester has a lot of visiting artists and it makes sense to offer a guide of what’s out there.”

He also said: “The guide is intended for anyone with an interest in or developing an interest in street art or graffiti.”

The guide was the result of a collaborative effort; it was compiled by Graffwerk with support from Leicester City Council and the mayor.

The guide contains a list of sites that have exceptional works of art as well as the street art made by well-known street artists featured in the guide.

These include artists such as Smug, Won ABC, CanTwo, Bates, Voyder, Boogie & Hombre, MONO, KINOS, Ruelo, COST, ZOMBY and Philth to name but a few.

The guide also gives a brief rough summary of the works of art listed within and where they can be found.

Andrew said: “The highest density of large-scale artwork is situated within the Cultural Quarter so that would be a great area to start, at LCB Depot alone there are works by Smug, Won ABC and MONO.”

The next Bring the Paint festival is taking place in May 2019, and is sure to bring in newer art networks to Leicester, which may lead to updated versions of the guide being made.