Peinture Fraîche Festival

A new edition of the “fresh paint festival”. On the back of last year’s success, graffiti and streets artists are back to amaze you with their XXL works.

What’s in store? Amazement, surprise, and bewilderment, but also conferences, workshops (if you dare!), and plenty of enriching encounters.

More than thirty artists are set to travel from all over the globe to take part in this stand-out street art event. In their suitcases, a few cans of colourful spray paint and every last ounce of their talent, ready to show you what 21st-century graffiti is all about. The theme of the 2020 edition is innovation, so expect a surprise or two because augmented reality will be (almost) everywhere… 80% of the frescos are set to feature AR, giving you two paintings to ponder as you switch between still and animated versions.  Top tip: don’t forget your smartphone!

The street artists invited include:

• Ben Eine, a long-time Banksy collaborator
• El Pez and his Logo art, sure to raise a smile among bystanders
• Spidertag and his flexible neon cables
• The Blind (my favourite), whose work is designed for visually-impaired art fans
• Plus plenty of Lyon-based artists, including Brusk, Abys, Poes, etc

There are many more artists to discover: the only way to see them for sure is to head down to the scene of the (paint-splattered) crime…

Don’t just stand there… paint!

Like last year, budding, experienced or frustrated graffiti artists will get the chance to express their talent on the “free expression” wall. Every day, a fresh page will be written on this wall. Improvisation sessions will offer you the opportunity to see your favourite artists at work. Will YOU dare to give graffiti a go under their watchful gaze?

Technique time

To try your hand at street art, supervised, free-of-charge workshops introduce you to the latest technologies in a setting where you can interact with pro graffiti artists. Waterlight graffiti, lightspray and even digital graffiti will hold no secrets for you.

Make the most of the augmented-reality exhibition, canteen, and bar in a relaxed atmosphere.

Art show

If you find yourself a favourite, why not treat yourself to a sweet souvenir? Art Show is important for artists: it gives them the chance to sell their works. So, if you can afford it, why not take one home?

For further information

If you fancy discovering Lyon’s street-art treasures, take the ‘From painted walls to street art’ guided tour. Your guide, Bénédicte, will lead to hard-to-find works… 

Finally, Eléonore has devoted an article to street art in Lyon. It’s well worth a (re-)read.

There’s no stopping the street-art revolution in Lyon: don’t miss out