ART FEST NOTTINGHAM
PAINT is our POWER
1. Transforming Our City
Making our city centre colourful, attractive and inspiring; ensuring Nottingham is a destination for local, national and international visitors. A vibrant high street which encourages businesses to rent property and developers to invest in the city.
CREATING AN INSPIRING CITY CENTRE THAT EVERYONE IS PROUD TO BE A PART OF.
OUR AIMS
2. Inviting you to our colourful home
Welcoming tourists and visitors and providing them with an exciting agenda for exploring and engaging with our city. Nurturing relationships with students who are newly arrived to the city and encouraging them to become involved with the city through artworks and projects whilst ensuring they are invited to discover Nottingham’s fantastic businesses.
3. Community Engagement
Supporting our local creative community and championing the amazing talent we have within the city; levelling up their work and showcasing it to new audiences. Keeping creatives within the city instead of them moving to other cities where there is more opportunity. Running community projects such as ‘Collaborative Murals’ which involve the general public and teach them about producing art.
Who we are…
A community of artists & facilitators producing ambitious, creative solutions for events & public spaces.
Bridlesmith Gate
The most murals on one street in Nottingham
Produced within 6 months
5 Murals
All one floor up of the ground
Over 400sqm of paint
6 different artists
“Stick and Ribbon shop Owner Sally Longden said: “It’s amazing and really exciting to be a part of the rejuvenation of Bridlesmith Gate. We’ve noticed an increase in the dwell time for people coming into the area as they aren’t just coming here and rushing off to Marks and Spencer or the train station, they are actually stopping to take time to look up.”
— Nottingham Post, 05.11.22
“I designed and hand painted a large scale mural welcoming visitors to Bridlesmith gate. It was the biggest painting I’ve ever worked on so was a challenging but rewarding experience. Working at this new scale pushed my practice to a new level and showed me that I can take on larger projects in future and the value of leaving my comfort zone!”
- Lorna Dunn artist name Lesser Than Three
“I painted alongside zena on the biggest mural either of us had done at that time, our wall space was above sneakerverse. As with all projects I’ve been lucky enough to be apart of, it was fun to paint in a public space especially being alongside other artists on the same street - it really felt like something good was happening in the city and I think people walking past and engaging felt that too from the conversations I had. The experience of actually painting as an artist was super easy, it was set up so we could just turn up and do our work without having to think of too much else.
My confidence grew being a part of this project and reassured me that I could do something on that scale and gave me some insight on how bigger projects run. It helped me approach other projects knowing I had the experience, one being the Vancouver mural festival which I got to paint an even bigger wall last year. Overall it was a super positive experience for me, and spending time on street with other artists, the coordinators and chatting with the people was really special.”
- Joe Stevenson artist name KYNOBIO
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![An image of The Cultural Center.]()
The Carousel X Super Freak, 2020
The Carousel
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Rebels & Pioneers, 2021
Broadmarsh Tunnel
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![Welcome to Bridlesmith Gate]()
Welcome to Bridlesmith Gate
Bridlesmith Gate, 2022
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People Make the Place
Middle Hill, 2023
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![An image of The Float House]()
Sussex Street
Sussex Street, 2024
Why we know it will work…
NUART Aberdeen
Benjamin Kay: What has the festival done for Aberdeen?
Shona Byrne: Nuart Aberdeen has added so much to the city form a cultural perspective. The people of Aberdeen have embraced it, it has won their hearts and minds and I believe it has given them a greater sense of civic pride. Unlike some other festivals it also has a lasting legacy as the murals can be enjoyed freely by all who live, work and visit the city 365 days a year.
It’s a world class festival and was recently named by the FT as one of the top 6 street art destinations in the world. Bringing in the best artists from all over the globe to work with locals gives it that status and alongside the festival there is also a series of events, and activities that attract top academics, critics and media to come to the city and participate in all the festival delivers.
Alongside the artists we have over 100 local volunteers who get involved in the productions, working and supporting artists, helping to deliver all the events and supporting the free walking tours. They gain experience in all areas of festival management as well as street art production and we are delighted to say that some go on to pursue careers in similar industries. Artists KMG (Katie Guthrie) who volunteered at the festival when it first started is now a street artist in her own right and is creating murals at Aberdeen International Airport this year.
What has the festival done for you?
It has made me go and seek our street art when I visit other cities.. Every time I go to a new city now I try and find the Street Art tours. Also, there are a lot of people who travel for street art and in Aberdeen we regularly see groups of foreign tourists enjoying the works creates as part of Nuart Aberdeen.
Bring The Paint
“Since its beginning, Bring the Paint (BTP) has significantly impacted Leicester, creating over 100 permanent murals that span approximately 15 football pitches in size. The initiative has involved more than 200 artists from 12 countries, including notable figures like SMUG, INSANE 51, HOW & NOSM, and 1UP, positioning Leicester as a hub for street art tourism. BTP’s quality and influence have been nationally recognized, with features in The Guardian’s top 10 outdoor arts events, a national campaign by B&Q, and extensive coverage in the Montana Look Book distributed globally. A special mural thanking Leicester’s key workers has also received widespread national media attention, highlighting the festival’s broad appeal and significance.”
A City Less Grey
Gateways and corners of the city were injected with colour through a series of ambitious street art installations.
“We're so proud of what we've achieved with A City Less Grey and we hope the public art we've brought to Leeds will be enjoyed for years to come.”
— Karen Watson: Artistic Director, East Street Arts
Pieces of artwork created in six city centre locations 8 .
Height of Athena Rising 46.8m . Cans of spray-paint used to create Athena Rising 600 . Awards 2 .
What we want to do this year…
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One day event in September
“Any new piece(s) of public art will brighten our streets and create a buzz on social media. With sporadic pieces, the buzz will diminish over time, so expanding the scale of the works over a longer period has the potential to add longevity and additional marketing opportunities.
This project will position Nottingham as a cool, progressive place, reinforcing our existing creative vibe and really put us on the map as a bold, original, creative city, especially if we can commission well known and international artists to paint in Nottingham.”
Andrew, It’s In Nottingham
2024
A mini Notts Mural Fest.
21 - 22nd September, 2024
What we want to do in the first three years…
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Launch of the website, Instagram and comms infrastructure.
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Partnering with five organisations to support the project. Ensuring we have the support of local stakeholders.
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Focused on one area with three new murals, finishing off Sussex St and running two community murals.
2025
A medium Notts Mural Fest.
20 - 21st September, 2025
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Focused growth across social platforms throughout the year building up to the second event.
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Raising more funds through our sponsored partnerships. Supporting more stakeholders.
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Staying focused to a specific area (location TBC) whilst delivering double the amount of outputs.
2026
Notts Mural Fest
17 - 20th September, 2026
TAKE OVER several sites & put NOTTS on the map for murals!!!
Delivery…
2024
3 new murals
2 community murals
1 free wall
2025
6 new murals
4 community murals
2 free walls
2026
9 new murals
8 community murals
4 free walls
The team…
2024
3 headliners
4 coordinators
20 assistants / volunteers
2025
6 headliners
6 coordinators
30 assistants / volunteers
2026
9 headliners
8 coordinators
40 assistants / volunteers
During the festival in person attendees…
2024
2000
2025
6000
2026
12,000
“There are 40,000 people who walk down Lister Gate every month.”
Yearly in person viewers of the artworks….
2024
500,000 views
25,000* new viewers
*5% of total viewers
2025
1 million views
50,000* new viewers
2026
2 million people
100,000* new viewers
Digital metrics…
2024
REACH Total reach 3000
Impressions 15,000
CONVERSION RATE*
1% / 30 tickets
*people booking onto events
2025
REACH Total reach 5750
Impressions 30,000
CONVERSION RATE*
2% / 115 tickets
2026
REACH Total reach 9000
Impressions 60,000
CONVERSION RATE*
3% / 270 tickets
“Mural design competitions on Instagram to encourage growth”
2024
3 Sponsors
5 Partners
Organisations involved..
2025
5 Sponsors
7 Partners
2025
7 Sponsors
9 Partners
“Involving NTU / College students from YR. 2 through live briefs”
2024
LOCAL pre festival 2
post festival 3
NATIONAL pre 0
post 1
Media coverage…
2025
LOCAL pre festival 3
post festival 4
NATIONAL pre 1
post 2
2026
LOCAL pre festival 3
post festival 4
NATIONAL pre 2
post 3
Questionnaires…
Before the event a questionnaire will be sent out to creatives and participants.
The questionnaire will be used to establish their sentiments to the city centre.
The same questionnaire will be sent out post festival and any difference will be captured.
Return on Investment
2024 sponsor of £35,000 ROI* £145,000
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2024 | 2000 , economic value £20,000
2025 | 6000 , economic value £60,000
2026 | 12,000 , economic value £120,000 -
2024 | 500,000 views . 25,000* new viewers . Economic value £125,000 .
2025 | 1 million views , 50,000 new viewers . Economic value £250,0002026 | 2 million views . 100,000 new viewers . Economic value £500,000
* 5% of overall viewers **£5 spent per new viewer -
The murals contribute to the value of the surrounding area and thus encourage new tenants.
Amount of vacant units in and around the project area 30
Average business rates per units* £78,000
Average levy contributions to Nottingham BID** £975 per propertyEvery new tenant could generate +/-£975 for It's In Nottingham.
*Business Rates from 10 units on Lister Gate averaged
**Based on contribution of 1.25% of average business rates
*based on economic value of visitors spend
