The artists behind some of Manchester’s most famous street art will decorate Rochdale with large-scale murals inspired by the town’s rich heritage.
The internationally-acclaimed street art duo Nomad Clan is partnering up with Rochdale Council to
present Rochdale Uprising, a five-day street art festival taking place over the August bank holiday
weekend (August 22 – 26).
View this post on Instagram
The festival will feature large scale murals, an exhibition, an art fair, workshops, artists talks and much more, all accessible for free for all ages and cultures. And will see world-renowned artists travel to the town and adorn its drab buildings with beautiful artwork inspired by Rochdale’s rich heritage.
Hayley Garner, of Nomad Clan said the Primary aim for the first edition of Rochdale Uprising is to breathe life back into unloved and neglected parts of the town through a series of iconic murals. Showcasing local and internationally renowned artistic talent as well as some of the diverse networks of creative organisations in and around Rochdale and Greater Manchester.
Hayley Garner, of Nomad Clan, said:
“One of the core motives for running a mural festival in Rochdale is to inspire and engage the young people through direct visible action. As someone who grew up in Rochdale, I remember an absence of art culture and a lack of artists to aspire to.
“One of the many strengths of urban contemporary art is how readily available and accessible it is, turning the streets into a gallery that only inspires imagination as opposed to the traditional elitist galleries that some people would never access.
“If someone had told me that I would have a career in muralism that would find me travelling all
over the world, sustaining a comfortable living and having some of the richest life experiences I
could imagine, I never would have believed it. “
Rochdale Uprising will see twelve murals painted across the town by twelve world-renowned artists:
The London Police (Amsterdam), Mr Penfold (Bristol), Curtis Hylton (London), Pilth (Birmingham),
Tank Petrol (Poland), T-One (Preston), Lei-Mai (Liverpool), Tasha Whittle (Manchester), Folie
(Manchester), Billy (UK), Northernline (Manchester) and Rochdale homegrown Nomad Clan
(Manchester).
On August 23, there will be the opening party gallery show to launch of the festival. Located at the Urban Artistic Gallery, Drake Street and Nelson Street corner, the party will be from 5pm to 9pm, there will be free drinks sponsored by Northern Monk and a first pick at the fantastic art for sale.
On the Saturday (August 24) OverDrawn will take over the Baum in Rochdale. From 7pm to
10:30pm every surface will be covered in white paper for spectators and the public to draw onto,
accompanied by great music and spectating talented local illustrators. Reducing the barriers of
anxiety around drawing, OverDrawn has established a name for itself by mixing artists and
the public in one space and putting everyone on the same page during an incredibly social event.
On Sunday (August 24), there will be a series of talks by artists at the Rochdale Market and
Food Hall from 2pm to 4pm. Giving festival-goers the chance to quiz the artists and openly discuss
topics or issues or simply listen to what these creative minds have to say.
These talks will feature Yasha Young, the director and brains behind Urban Nation; Kelzo, a veteran of the graffiti world; and London Police, one of the most stylistically recognised duos in the urban art movement. Each talk will be a question and answer style ‘15 minutes of Focus’.
For more information check out their website or Facebook page and follow them on Instagram.