Palmerston Street Art Festival to make debut next month with major organiser backing

A splash of colour is coming to a Top End urban centre next month, with the high-profile festival organisers promising “serious artistic talent”.

Palmerston Street Art Festival director David Collins with city mayor Athina Pascoe-Bell. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

Dry season festivities are in full swing, and a new festival will let Territorians discover the talent hiding in their own backyard.

The inaugural Palmerston Street Art Festival runs from 17 to 29 June and local artists are set to add a splash of colour to the city.

More than half the line-up will feature artists hailing from Palmerston and nearby suburbs, with veterans mentoring up-and-coming talent.

Public art impresarios Proper Creative will spearhead the project with funding from the Territory government and Palmerston Council.

Festival director David Collins launched the company fifteen years ago with Jesse Bell, delivering the Darwin Street Art Festival since 2017 and contributing 90 murals to the cityscape.

Artist Jesse Bell next to his mural of Australian prime minister Gough Whitlam pouring sand into the hands of Vincent Lingiari for the 2021 Darwin Street Art Festival. Picture: Supplied

“There’s some serious artistic talent in Palmerston – you’re all going to love this,” Mr Collins said.

“This is something that we’ve been wanting to deliver for a while now, we are so excited to take the Proper Creative energy into a new city.”

Festival director David Collins with Palmerston mayor Athina Pascoe-Bell. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

Landmarks receiving the spray-paint treatment include Palmerston bus depot, shopping centre and the Randazzo carpark building in Goyder Square.

Chief Minister Eva Lawler, whose electorate of Drysdale includes Palmerston, said: “this is what my government is about – making our places attractive and welcoming and allowing our communities to thrive”.