New mural locations on the cards for Look Up Portsmouth 2025 as colourful art festival makes a stunning return
More sites across the city could be used for public artworks plans for the next Look Up Portsmouth art festival are discussed.
Portsmouth City Council’s Cabinet meeting, on June 24, will decide if public buildings across the city can again be used as canvases for the popular street art event, set to take place on September 13-14.
The report outlines preparations and seeks permission to use council-owned walls for the artworks. It also proposes that the same consultation process used for previous festivals in 2023 and 2024 should continue.
The 2024 festival built on the success of its first year. In 2024, “117 artists created murals across the city supported by approximately 200 volunteers.” Feedback from residents has been “overwhelmingly positive” and examples are included in the report.
Feedback from the Look Up volunteer stewards reads: “We painted a private property on the corner of Victoria Road North & Baileys Road. There were roadworks which meant traffic queued in Baileys Road.
“Every time I went to see the artist there were people stopped in traffic shouting thanks and encouragement to the artist and saying they didn’t mind being stationary so they could see the artwork.”
The walls being considered cover several wards, including Paulsgrove, Cosham, Charles Dickens, and Central Southsea. Final decisions will depend on artist availability and the results of local consultation.
Residents can view the list of 15 proposed mural locations here, including the walls in Buckland Park, the bridge supports on Anglesey Road and the Wildwood restaurant in Port Solent.
The festival aims to bring art to communities, support mental health, and boost pride in local areas. The report says, “This is a positive activity to be engaged with” and notes the council’s aim “to enable more communities, especially those that are seldom heard, to access and experience the positive benefits of public art.”
The report notes that people living in or near the proposed mural sites must be included in the process and will have the ultimate decision on whether a mural goes ahead.