SWG3 will welcome some of the world’s best street artists as it hosts the fourth edition of Yardworks Festival. On 18th – 19th June, Glasgow and beyond are invited for a weekend of mural painting, creative workshops, live art, great food and drink and more, as SWG3’s indoor and outdoor spaces are transformed into a vast and vibrant live canvas.
Leading Scottish based street artists including Smug, Mark Worst and KMG will be working side by side with some of the most celebrated names from around the globe: Zurik, Bublegum, and Balstroem – to name a few. Yardworks is also thrilled to welcome debut festival performances from Mr Cenz and Morf. See notes to editors for a full artist list.
As well as witnessing live street art being created from scratch, the festival will offer interactive creative activities for young ones, community workshops, and a range of street food and drinks to enjoy alongside it all. It’ll also be the largest festival to date, with Eastvale Place closed off and used for painting, and SWG3’s two gallery spaces open with a unique exhibition.
Outdoors in the Galvanizers Yard, global and local artists will be working across numerous walls and boards to create new, vibrant artworks in real time. As well as a host of temporary boards filling the space with colour, prestigious global guests will create murals directly on to the walls surrounding the yard, acting as a permanent open-air gallery for the rest of the year.
Meanwhile, with the festival stretching into the indoor Galvanizers space, as well as a children’s art area with interactive creative activities, Yardworks is thrilled to welcome back Mia McGregor with The Cube installation. One of the biggest public art projects in Europe, with over 23,000 people involved to date, this inclusive, creative project is a chance for people of all ages and abilities to create their own unique ‘cube’, and be part of what will grow to become the world’s largest participatory artwork.
Gary Mackay aka Gaz Mac, SWG3 Studio Director and co-founder of Yardworks, said: “We’re delighted to have the festival back. We have another exciting programme lined up for 2022 with an abundance of talent that’s come to be expected with Yardworks. With the Festival and now Yard Life Gallery and the work-in-progress of the Yardwork Studio, it really has come a long way since our first edition in 2017.”
WHAT HAPPENS AT YARDWORKS?
Across two days, the concrete playground that is SWG3’s Galvanizers Yard becomes a mess of colour, creativity and collaboration as urban artists from across Glasgow, the UK and Europe come together to paint, draw, inspire and educate.
Starting from Eastvale Place, and winding into the Yard, attendees can expect to see a blank canvas of railway arches, wall space and boards transformed into a riot of colour by highly skilled artists from across the UK and Europe. From traditional New York style tagging to more contemporary lettering and sign painting, the full spectrum of street art styles will be on show. There’ll be interactive art activities for kids, live art installations, the full gamut of street food, and two galleries offering people the chance to take home one-of-a-kind prints, posters and more.
WHAT FOOD + DRINK WILL THERE BE?
SWG3 will have a range of some of their favourite vendors lined up, including Nomad Pizza, The Fat Flamingo, Pad T’Aye and Mac Man and the obligatory ice cream van. There’ll also be, of course, a fully-stocked bar, not only servicing the Galvanizers Yard, but also on their new outdoors terrace, opening for the first time that weekend. Go through the foyer, up the steps, and get a seat, a drink and a woodfired pizza in what is going to be the city’s best new secret sun-trap.
IS IT FAMILY FRIENDLY?
It’s the perfect weekend event for all the family. Not only do under 16s go free (no ticket required, just turn up), there’s tons on for children. On both days Glasgow’s original and best club night for kids and parents, Mini Maneuvers will run from 1pm – 4pm across the Warehouse and SWG3’s new outdoor terrace with great DJs, activities for kids and a bar for adults. A separate ticket for Mini Maneuvers is needed (which also includes access to Yardworks Festival) and can be purchased here. In the Galvanizers, Mia McGregor will be bringing Europe’s largest participatory art project ever, where kids can make their own interactive cube.
WHICH ARTISTS WILL BE THERE?
Leading Scottish based street artists including Smug, Mark Worst and KMG will be working side by side with some of the most celebrated names from around the globe: Zurik, Bublegum and Balstroem, to name just a few. Organisers are also thrilled to welcome debut festival performances from Mr Cenz and Morf. You can find the full list of over 80 artists below.
WHAT ELSE DO YOU NEED TO KNOW?
Get down early, and preferably over both days. One of the most satisfying parts of the festival is seeing murals being built up from a stretch of freshly painted black to a highly skilled final result, watching the layers come together.
For those who can’t make the festival, there will still be some incredible art to experience. Take a wander across the west end and see festival-painted boards appearing on the University of Glasgow campus (the corner where it meets Byres Road), across the 27 SWG3 railway arches facing onto the Expressway, at Partick Bus Station, and in SWG3’s own Yard Life and Acid Bar galleries until the end of July.
Tickets are on sale now here. Standard Tickets are £5 day per day and £7.50 weekend. Residents of G3/G11/G51 receive a discount with prices at £3 Day, £5.50 Weekend. Under 16s Go free – no ticket required.
A separate ticket is needed for those wishing to attend Mini Maneuvers (which also includes access to Yardworks Festival). They are on sale now here from £8.00.