In pictures: Sand, sea and spray at Blackpool's urban art festival
- Published
Forty leading urban artists from four different continents have been in Blackpool to paint the town for the annual Sand, Sea and Spray festival. Inkie decorated a 1930s Blackpool tram on Ocean Boulevard with a female face depicted in a classic art nouveau style, one of his trademark images
The event is masterminded by Robin Ross who runs a creative arts hub at the Old Rock Factory on Deansgate. Artists worked on the building as part of the festival
One of the festival organisers, Mina Scott, said urban art lovers travelled from all over to see the work take shape. She said: "It shows there's far more to Blackpool than hen and stag dos." France's Guy Denning's artwork in the open air gallery on Adelaide Street situated at the back of the Winter Gardens
Another French artist KASHINK created her street artwork on Corporation Street opposite the resort's Grand Theatre
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Ms Scott said she was shocked at the reaction to replacing the Red DJ Girl on the Cookson Road car park, which has been the face of the event. She said: "People were outraged and getting out of their cars to protest when we started painting over it."
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She said: "They thought we were from the council. Smug's new piece depicting a magician has been really well received." Australian artist Smug said he wanted "to do something magical."
Italian artists Zed1 and Krio added their signature street art to the Cookson Street car park. Ms Scott said the artwork had even saved a building from demolition. She explained: "The owner of the building which the artists have painted on was going to be knocked down but he said he will keep it now because he loves it."