The huge street art festival starts today
Crowds along North Street at Upfest 2022(Image: Paul Box)
Bristol’s celebration of all things street art is returning to the streets of Bedminster and Southville today (May 15) for what will be ‘Europe’s largest live street art gallery’.
The event will run for 17 days and will include live mural painting, workshops, DJs and a wide array of free family activities.
This year’s Upfest will see more than 150 murals painted live across the BS3 postcode, alongside artist talks, hands-on creative workshops and Tobacco Factory Saturday Sessions featuring DJs, artist takeovers and live painting throughout the month.
Artists painting across the opening weekend include Cheba, Mister Samo, DFTE and this year’s Festival Artist Melo, with more than 100 additional artists painting throughout the festival period.
Here’s everything you need to know about this year’s event…
When and where is Upfest 2026?
There are 17 days of live art, DJs, workshops, artist takeovers, talks and free family activities in BS3, taking place from May 15 – 31, with Tobacco Factory becoming the festival’s creative hub across three major Saturday Sessions.
The festival is held across BS3, check out the map on the official website for more information.
Across the festival’s three Saturday Sessions (May 16, 23 and 30), Tobacco Factory will host live DJs curated by DJ Cridge, artist takeovers, live painting with 150 artists, workshops and free drop-in activities from midday until late, making it one of the main gathering points for visitors throughout the festival.
Painting will happen between 8.30am and 6.30pm every day. Workshop times vary (see below). Tobacco Factory Saturday Sessions Workshop and Painting will run from 10am-6pm.
(Image: BristolLive)
How to get there
Walking: Bedminster and the festival is roughly a 30-minute walk from Bristol City Centre. Use the postcode BS3 1JF to find it.Bike, e-scooter and e-bikes: There are bike racks opposite the gallery and along North Street at various locations.Train: The nearest mainline station is Bristol Temple Meads – this is a 35-minute walk to the gallery. Local line stations are Bedminster and Parson Street – these are a 15-minute walk.Bus: From Bristol City Centre there is a bus service direct to North Street. This is the number 24 and can be found outside the Sainsburys on Broad Quay.Coach: The nearest coach station is Bristol Central Station, which is a 35-minute walk to the gallery.
Do I need tickets to go to Upfest?
No tickets are required to come and watch the artists create their masterpieces. Bookings will, however, be required for some of the workshops – these are all free to attend. There will be drop-in sessions available for certain workshops.
Which artists will be painting at Upfest 2026?
Artists kicking off the opening weekend with live mural painting include:
- Cheba, whose vibrant work draws inspiration from nature, space and everyday life
- Mister Samo, the trans activist artist behind bold murals celebrating joy, love and inclusion
- Bristol street artist DFTE, known for witty and philosophical handwritten messages that have become iconic across the city
- This year’s Festival Artist Melo, recognised for her playful, character-led murals recently featured as part of Quakers Friars Art Lane near Cabot Circus.
More than 100 additional artists will paint throughout the festival period, with full schedules and locations available via the UPFEST online calendar.
Upfest is Europe’s largest live street art festival(Image: BristolLive)
What else can I see and do at Upfest?
Alongside the live murals, visitors can get involved in a packed programme of creative workshops and experiences taking place throughout the opening weekend, designed to make street art and creativity accessible to everyone.
Activities include Posca Mindful Mandalas transforming old vinyl records into colourful artwork, hands-on mosaic making with Bristol tile artist Angus, Lego printing workshops with artist Amy Hutchings, collaborative tile murals, customisation stations, and free-flowing illustration spaces with Posca, alongside family-friendly drop-in sessions at Molly’s Craft Corner.
Visitors can also take part in artist Q&As, photography-led discussions and a range of interactive creative experiences across Bedminster and Tobacco Factory throughout the weekend.
Artwork will be available to purchase from the Upfest Gallery, the Tobacco Factory, the Local and from our festival pop-up shop (location TBC) . Alternatively, you can visit our online store
Food and drink, loos and other things
We are lucky to have some amazing, cafes, bars and restaurants in the area, offering a diverse range of different cuisines, catering to different diets.
You can also bring your own food and drink to Upfest, and there are multiple parks in the area that can be used for picnics. All venues will be able to top up your water bottle.
Public toilets are available at all venues. And most venues allow dogs – just check with them before you enter.