UPDATE 16/03/2020: The Wall to Wall Festival will not go ahead in April following COVID-19 public health concerns. The festival aims to reschedule for another date in 2020.
Benalla boy-turned-Melbourne street art impresario Shaun Hossack had a dream: to turn his home town into the street art capital of Victoria. The Benalla Wall to Wall Festival was born in 2015 and has since turned the northern Victorian town is the regional street art capital of not only the state, but the whole of Australia.
Wait a second, aren't the prime spots already taken? Indeed they are – street art by its very nature is transitory, and murals can get painted over each year. A few pieces are preserved, such as several jaw-dropping storeys-high portraits by spray paint artist Adnate, but even a few works by street art superstar Rone have become canvases for new works.
This year, the likes of Adnate, Filthy RatBag, Elliot Routledge, Minna Leunig and more will make their mark on the walls of Benalla. Throughout the weekend, visitors can head along to artist talks and workshops, interactive activities, bus and walking tours, screenings, immersive VR experiences, live music and more.
More than 4,000 people are expected to watch the artists at work, and most painters create their masterpieces over three days in April. Another 40,000 are expected to visit over the course of the year to see the new works.
