About

Upfest is Europe's largest street art festival, taking place across the South Bristol neighbourhoods of Bedminster and Southville, celebrating both local and international talent across several days of live painting.

Over the past decade, the festival has seen over 5,000 artists participate, attracting some of the biggest names in the street art scene.

When is Upfest?

Friday 15 May – Sunday 31 May 2026

Times: Painting will happen between 8.30 and 6.30 every day. Workshop times see individual listings on the Upfest website. Tobacco Factory Saturday Sessions Workshop and Painting 10am-6pm.
Locations: Bedminster, Southville and locations across Bristol
Price: Free

UPFEST, Europe’s largest live street art festival, returns to Bristol from Friday 15 May to Sunday 31 May 2026 with its most ambitious programme to date. Spanning 17 days, the biannual festival will transform Bedminster, Southville and new locations across the city into a vibrant open-air gallery of large-scale murals, live painting and creative events.

Across the festival, visitors can experience colourful mural painting by international, national and local artists, alongside free creative workshops, live events and community-led projects. Bedminster will once again become a live canvas, with up to 100 brand new murals appearing across the neighbourhood.

What's on at Upfest 2026

Over three weekends, the Tobacco Factory will act as the creative heart of the festival with a full venue takeover. Expect free workshops, live painting, DJs, graffiti battles and artist-led activations, making it one of the UK’s most unmissable celebrations of street art culture.

UPFEST 2026 will also expand further across the city through its enhanced Partners Programme. Collaborations with Bristol BID and Cabot Circus will bring large-scale murals and live street art into Bristol city centre, while a new youth-led project in Hartcliffe, delivered with Youth Moves, will extend the festival’s community impact.

Workshops and community projects

Following support from Arts Council England, UPFEST 2026 will deliver an expanded programme of artist development and visitor workshops. Thousands of free workshop places will be available, with booking opening from 1 May 2026.

Festival artist: Melo

Leading UPFEST 2026 as Festival Artist is Bristol-based muralist Esme Lower, known professionally as Melo. Renowned for her bold characters, playful colour palettes and storytelling rooted in place, Melo’s work can be found across Bristol and beyond. Her recent projects include a large-scale live painting at Bristol Amphitheatre during the Women’s Rugby World Cup.

Keep Upfest free for all

UPFEST remains free and accessible for all. A crowdfunding campaign has launched to support the delivery of the mural programme, workshops and live events, helping remove barriers for artists, communities and audiences.

Support the Crowdfunder.

Tickets and booking information

Upfest is free to attend, including the workshops. 

No tickets are required to come and watch the artist paint their murals. Bookings will be required for many of the workshops, but they are all free to attend. There will also be drop-in sessions available. 

Frequently asked questions

Is the event indoor or outdoor?

Painting is outside on the street or at the Tobacco Factory, and workshops are inside or under cover. Please check the weather forecast before you arrive and dress accordingly.

Where will the murals be painted?

Painting will take place across BS3. Check out the map on the Upfest website for more information nearer the time. 

Discover over 170 murals that have been created as part of past Upfest events in the Upfest mural map.

Can I bring my dog?

Yes, most venues allow dogs, see specific venues for exceptions.

Can I bring my own food and drink? 

You can bring your own food and drink to enjoy outside but please do not bring inside venues such as Tobacco Factory. There are several parks in the area that can be used for picnics, including South Street Park, North Street Green, Dame Emily Park, and Greville Smyth Park. Bedminster also has many great cafes, bars and restaurants worth checking out too!

Is Upfest family friendly?

Absolutely, there will be a range of kids activities at Tobacco Factory on the Saturdays of the festival, and children will enjoy watching the artists paint too!

Where can I buy artwork?

Artwork will be available to purchase from the Upfest Gallery, the Tobacco Factory, the Local and from the festival pop-up shop. Alternatively, you can visit their online store.

Plan your visit

UPFEST 2026 takes place across multiple locations in Bristol, with Bedminster and Southville at its heart. Full programme details, locations and updates will be announced in the months leading up to the festival.

For more information, visit upfest.co.uk and follow UPFEST on social media on Facebook and Instagram.

Sister festival Weston Wallz takes place in nearby Weston-super-Mare every year.

Read more:

- Street Art in Bristol
- Bristol Festivals
- Banksy and street art hotspots in Bristol