Cheltenham Paint Festival is set to make a grand return this year after receiving joint funding from Cheltenham Borough Council and Cheltenham Borough Homes amounting to £10,000, as well as support from Holiday Inn Express Cheltenham.
The festival’s founder, Andy ‘Dice’ Davies, AKA Dice Sixty Seven, is thrilled to be back and organising the festival after its brief hiatus last year, he said: “I’m delighted to be bringing the festival back with a new date and I’d like to thank the council for their support to ensure it goes ahead this year.
“With the investment from the council, Cheltenham Borough Homes and Holiday Inn Express we are now able to plan ahead and ensure our fifth birthday celebrations bring another dose of colour and joy to the town.”
Running in the height of the summer - from 29 to 31 July - with over 100 artists painting the town and with a renewed focus on championing female artists, the festival is gearing up to make its fifth year birthday celebration the biggest yet. The big walls start the week before.
Cllr Flo Clucas, cabinet member for safety and communities for Cheltenham Borough Council, said: “I am delighted that we have been able to support the paint festival again this year. Andy and his colleagues do a great job. Not only does this brighten our streets, but many of our communities and young people love being able to get involved and see their work lightening the hearts of those who see it. This year promises to be something special!”
Emma Wall, executive director property and communities at Cheltenham Borough Homes, mirrored the councillor’s sentiment: “Helping communities thrive is what we’re all about, which is why we are proud to be sponsoring the paint festival for 2022. It truly is a unique point in the calendar that brings everyone together, creates a real vibrancy, and encourages local people, as well as visitors to really explore our communities.”
This year, the headline artists will be staying at the Holiday Inn Express Cheltenham Town Centre, who are kindly supporting the festival as the designated accommodation provider.
Wyatt Davis, sales manager, Holiday Inn Express Cheltenham, said: “We’re thrilled to be supporting this year’s paint festival as an accommodation provider, and will be using this opportunity to get behind the festival both on social media and through the interactions we have with our guests.”
To find out more about this year’s Cheltenham Paint Festival, including opportunities to volunteer, paint or have your wall transformed by a top street artist, follow Cheltenham Paint Festival on Facebook or visit cheltenhampaintfestival.co.uk.
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For media enquiries, contact: communications, telephone 01242 264154, email communications@cheltenham.gov.uk
Notes:
The Cheltenham Paint Festival debuted in 2017 to fill Cheltenham’s walls with life and colour and bolster Cheltenham’s reputation as the festival town.
Each year, the festival has attracted hundreds of visitors as leading national and international urban artists decorate the town with their spectacular street art; with many of the works remaining permanent fixtures that can be viewed year-round.
Previous years has seen the paint festival play host to renowned names such as Snik, Lucas Antics, Inkie, Trust Icon, Fabio Patani and Samer among countless others.
During lockdown 2020, artists were invited to put their designs virtually onto several of the town’s walls, with many people believing the works were real. However, due to the ongoing challenges of the pandemic, the festival had to take a small break in 2021.
Contact the press office on communications@cheltenham.gov.uk | 0800 408 0000