Street artists bring vibrant colours to Birmingham

At a glance

Fifty street artists painted walls in the Digbeth district of Birmingham
The High-Vis Festival returned to the city for its seventh year
The event also marked the 50th anniversary of Hip-hop music

John Bray

BBC News, West Midlands

14 August 2023

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The festival, in the Digbeth area, was centred around the Printmakers Arms in Fazeley Street.
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Artists spent Saturday transforming the outside of 82 Fazeley Street, which had started the day painted black and white.
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The High-Vis Festival attracted more than 50 street artists to Birmingham.
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Birmingham artist Cry spent a couple of days in the lead up to the festival creating her artwork.
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“High-Vis Festival prides itself on being a celebration of street art that’s for artists, by artists,” said co-organiser David "Panda" Brown.
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Break-dancers performed throughout the event to the sound of Hip-hop music.
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Graffiti focuses on names and tags, while street art embraces images and posters.
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Street artists and graffiti painters moved into Digbeth in the mid 1980s to begin creating a multi-coloured urban landscape.
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Street artists paint on so-called permission walls in the Digbeth neighbourhood.
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The red brick walls of Digbeth were once an integral part of Birmingham's industrial quarter.
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Artists and street art fans from Australia and the United States have visited Birmingham specifically to see the street art.
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Many Digbeth street artists have built large followings on social media to showcase their work.

Street artists from across the country brought their painting skills to Birmingham for an annual street culture festival.

The High-Vis Festival marked its seventh year with a special celebration party to mark 50 years of Hip-hop.

Festival co-organiser Olly MacNamee said: "I think the current state of the scene in Birmingham is very healthy.

"We've got Birmingham artists who are now more confident to go out and take on more jobs, whether that's through their own websites, their own Instagram accounts or through us."

High-Vis Festival in Birmingham

How 82 Fazeley Street started the day, and how it ended it

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Street culture celebration attracts 50 artists. Video, 00:01:25
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The graffiti wall that inspires teenagers. Video, 00:01:36
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Ambition for street art to spread across city. Video, 00:01:44
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17 September 2021
The city that is rethinking graffiti. Video, 00:01:00
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7 September 2019

Related internet links

High-Vis Festival