Big Picture Fest is back this month, promising an exciting celebration of art and culture in the heart of Frankston, Victoria.
From Monday 20 March to Sunday 26 March, Frankston City Council in conjunction with The Big Picture Fest will commemorate emerging and established artists who, over the course of the week, will bring vibrancy and life into the urban landscape.
The festival has become a highlight in the cultural calendar both on the Mornington Peninsula and for art-lovers across the state. With a lineup of exhibitions, installations, and performances, the festival guarantees an immersive and engaging experience for patrons of all ages. As anticipation builds for the event, locals and visitors alike are eager to discover the electrifying new murals that will be displayed in this year’s festival edition.
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Beginning in 2018, Big Picture Fest has annually brought both international and local street-art connoisseurs to the suburb. In its 6th year, the epic line up of artists includes Mistery, Smug One, Sofles, Katherine Gailer, Maria Pena, Hard Thirteen (Indo), Olana Janfa (Norway) & Abbey Rich – just to name a few. Download the map to find the nine sites.
Nine new artworks are being made during the course of the festival, so patrons will also have the opportunity to see the streets come to life first-hand – and maybe even meet the artists behind it all.
There are a few ways that patrons can experience the festival. You can take a self-guided around the festival at your own pace. Or, you can opt for a more immersive experience and book a free guided Street Art walking tour so you can learn the stories and inspirations behind the artists’ creations running from 24-26 March. The popular and nearly sold out, 1.5-hour tour offers a more intimate look behind the curtain and can be booked here. Better be quick! Alternatively, you can simply stroll around the various marked locations scattered around Frankston’s CBD. Next to each artwork, QR codes are available which offer insight into the artist and their creative process.
On Friday 24 March, you can make your way down to the Block Party. This free event brings bands, street performances, food trucks, alcohol vendors and live street painting to rendezvous against the backdrop of Frankston’s street art. The event will commence with a Welcome to Country Ceremony. Then, patrons will enjoy the all-Australian indie rock-pop line-up with performances from Teenage Dads, Zoe Fox and the Rocket Clocks with Muma Ganoush. The celebration of community and culture continues to the food trucks, where you can pick from a diverse range of cuisines including Melbourne’s best poffertjes, Mushiki dumplings, and Poncho Mexican. This all-ages event will be running from 4:30–10 pm in the Thompson Laneway. The new Night Walk and digital projection will yet be another after-dark experience not to miss.
New in 2023, see street artists in action in the daylight hours on Gallery Lane, Park Row and Thompson Lane. As the sun sets, the lights turn on as you self-guide yourself towards a nighttime projection artwork and audio by Filip Roca in Park Lane.
This impressive projection animation State is a seven-minute-long audio-visual piece that revolves around and studies the physical world’s structure and aggregate state of matter. It is a first for Victoria so you don’t want to miss it!
The Big Picture Festival has become integral in shaping Frankston’s urban identity and has seen the landscape become a canvas for some of the world’s most celebrated street artists – transforming buildings and alleyways into eye-catching murals. As a culturally diverse and vibrant suburb, the event sees the Frankston community come together to celebrate its history and ever-evolving scene. The Frankston City Council acknowledges that street art is unique in that it is accessible – it can be relished by anyone who passes it by.
Don’t miss this unforgettable celebration of art, culture, and community. Further information on the Big Picture Fest can be found here.
This article was made in partnership with Frankston City Council.
