Hoardings art by Thanet’s Vince Pugh Photo Frank Leppard
A project to give isle and out of town graffiti artists a safe and legal environment to share their work is taking place at the hoardings for Arlington House and arcade in Margate.
The hoardings make-over is taking place after Margate artist Louis Michel, of Rise Up Residency, secured permission from the property owners.
Photo Frank Leppard
Louis said it is “a very chilled paint jam with a bunch of local graffiti artists and a couple out of town artists,” adding that more works will be added to the other side of the hoarding early next year.
He said: “The idea behind this project is to provide local graffiti artists a safe legal environment to paint and collaborate with other artists from outside of Thanet.
Photo Frank Leppard
“There isn’t a brief, artists are encouraged to express themselves and work on their skills.
“The added bonus is that the welcome into Margate is now a much more colourful and enjoyable experience than the dull grey hoardings that existed last week.”
Photo Roy Foord
The hoardings include work by Louis and Thanet artists Vince Pugh alongside around 10 others.
Rise Up Residency has also recently worked with Scottish artist KMG on a mural titled The Ocean Wolf and the Selkie on Retort House in Broadstairs and The Shark Whisperer in Westbrook, with a further Margate project to come.
In previous years the Rise Up scheme has been responsible for murals at Cliftonville Lido and across Margate.
Photo Frank Leppard
In 2020 the Arlington hoardings were painted with images by Ramsgate Arts Primary pupils to celebrate Black icons, led by artist Ben Connors, working in collaboration with the People Dem Collective.
The Arlington Arcade hoarding also featured a memorable Only Fools and Horses ‘Jolly Boys Outing’ mural.
If people want to be kept in the loop for future projects, follow @riseupresidency_ on Instagram.