Mick Hartley

Yes, it's a thing, through September.

As one of the few forms of creativity not shut down due to the pandemic, there's been a marked rise in interest in street art in 2020. And so it's excellent news that the London Mural Festival is taking place throughout September, bringing more than 150 global artists to the capital to use it as a vast canvas.

They'll be painting more than 40 large-scale murals across the city, alongside a plethora of smaller events, giving locals and visitors a huge dose of visual inspiration for free.

"London is a really exciting place for public art," says Camille Walala, one of the artists involved in the festival. "Designers are getting more confident with colour here. And with so many things being cancelled and postponed, I'm very happy to see the first London Mural Festival is still going ahead."

One of the biggest events of the festival will be the 100-artist hoarding jam taking place at International Quarter London (IQL), Stratford, east London, in partnership with the developers LCR and Lendlease. The collective artwork will stretch over 500m in length and will close the festival on Saturday 3rd and Sunday 4th October.

"It's been a hard year for everyone and continues to be, but hopefully, we can bring a smile to people's faces and brighten up the streets," says Lee Bofkin, CEO and co-founder of Global Street Art, the organisation behind the festival.

And here are some pics:

Luke Smile, London Mural Festival – 151 Brick Lane, Shoreditch, E1 6SB

Camille Walala, London Mural Festival – Adams Plaza Bridge, Canary Wharf, E14 – Photo credit – Sean Pollock

Pref, London Mural Festival – 22 Wembley Park Boulevard, Wembley Park. Photo Credit: Chris Winter

Seb Lester, 10 John Street, Holborn

Camille Walala (WIP) – London Mural Festival – Rich Mix, Redchurch Street

Mad C, London Mural Festival – 1 Chance Street, Shoreditch

Rachel Joy & Ben Eine, London Mural Festival, 187 Lea Bridge Road, Leyton

Camille Walala 3, London Mural Festival – Adams Plaza Bridge, Canary Wharf, E14 – Photo credit: Sean Pollock

Was that mural of Audrey Hepburn and the tulips from yesterday part of the festival? I've no idea. I can't find any reference to it, and the festival map isn't up yet.