Look up – where to catch killer street art around Brisbane
Many people are quick to point at Melbourne as Australia’s capital of cool when it comes to street art, but Brisbane is actually a thriving hub of the art form in its own right. Once written off as a pastime for delinquents, the actual artistry behind street art is finally being recognised for its positive qualities – making public spaces more beautiful, inviting conversation and providing a platform for artists to be seen. Brisbane City Council has taken the lead in fostering a stronger appreciation for street art through its Brisbane Canvas program, a push towards celebrating our creative scene and making the city even more pretty.
Brisbane Canvas has been created by Brisbane City Council to bring new life into our city’s public spaces and places, calling upon curators to select amazing artists to adorn spots that would otherwise be quite unremarkable. This curator-led program will see a whole new host of artists get free reign over designated spots in the city, from walls and pillars to bridge structures. Three of this year’s biggest Brisbane Canvas contributions are coinciding with the Brisbane Street Art Festival – keep your eyes peeled around Breakfast Creek Road, Bowen Hills, Dock Street, South Brisbane and Pickering Street, Gaythorne for more action during the festival.
As for past contributions to the Brisbane Canvas program, there happen to be plenty around that you may have already spotted before. The more inner-city areas have gems like Sophia Mary Mac’s You’re an Incredible Combination of Things in Red Hill, David Sargeant’s often-Instagrammed Lost & Found on Teneriffe’s Macquarie Street, Matt Stewart’s eye-popping Evolution adorning the Coronation Drive pillars in Milton, plus loads more. Further out you can catch the likes of Vanghoua Anthony’s B e y o n d a n O a s i s on Mains Road in Sunnybank, James Alley’s Metropicalis at Bald Hills and David Houghton’s Froglife on Bridgeman Road at Bridgeman Downs (amongst stacks of other amazing works through the suburbs).
This is just the tip of the iceberg – to see all of the amazing Brisbane Canvas artworks (and find out where to see them in real life), head to the Brisbane City Council website.
Image credits
Image 1: Aquí Te Espero, by Nadia Hernandez. Photograph by Kurt Davies. Located in Newtown, NSW. (Nadia is working on the Dock Street, South Brisbane site for Brisbane Canvas)
Image 2: Untitled, by Elliot Routledge. Photograph by Ian Buckland. Located in Ebenezer Place, Adelaide, SA. (Elliot is working on the Breakfast Creek Road, Bowen Hills site for Brisbane Canvas.)
Image 3: Living organism, by Xana Denruyter for Canvas 2019. Located at Moggill Road, Bellbowrie.
To find out more about what’s on in Brisbane, head to our Event Guide.
