Meeting of Styles 2015 heads to the Nomadic Community Gardens in Shoreditch

The Meeting of Styles festival returned to Shoreditch last weekend for another paint packed festival filled with art, music, food and some all round relaxing vibes particularly enhanced by this years location at the Nomadic Community Gardens.

A waste land up until a few months ago, the gardens are in fact a piece of ground nestled between Pedley Street and the railway line. Last year the same space had been used to create one of the largest murals of the 2014 Meeting of Styles festival. It had been much acclaimed but it was only supposed to be a one off with Network Rail granting special permission and access to the land for that purpose alone.

The Meeting of Styles this year took place in the newly formed Nomadic Community Gardens

This time the whole festival is taking place in this space with just a few painting spots dotted around elsewhere in the city. The waste ground is up for redevelopment given its prime location in one of Londons most up and coming areas. Until then though the community gardens have been given permission to use the space to build temporary allotments for the residents of the area.

Pop around now during most days in the week and the difference is stark to how this unloved piece of land would have been seen just a few months ago. Then it was derelict, overgrown and cut off whereas now it’s open, vibrant and full of life with people tending plants and growing vegetables.

The giant wall in the middle of painting at the 2015 Meeting of Styles

It’s also become a popular hangout for street artists who, since it opened, have been working with the gardens to paint murals all with the benefit of bringing some life into this forgotten part of town. According to the people behind the scheme, “We want to provide a space people from the local area can contribute artistically to. Thus co-creating an oasis that breaks the monotony of concrete and revitalises our energy by re-engaging our senses.”

But this is the Meeting of Styles, a global movement aimed at bringing street art into the cities. For the past few years it has been organised by regular contributor to London’s street art scene Jim Vision and his End of the Line team. They organise permissions for the walls, line up the artists and generally get everything ready for the weekends activities which will also include live music, food and security.

Ed Hicks, one of the artists painting in the gardens

Not quite as spread out around the town as last years event, the gardens themselves are big enough to host an array of street art talent, all of whom would have enough space to paint. Head out of the garden towards Brick Lane and the scrub land next to Allen Gardens and the alley leading to Brick Lane were also filled with work.

Despite being one of the busiest weekends of the year so far in terms of street art related activities we just couldn’t miss this one here on Inspiring City. So, in time honoured fashion what better way to explain further than to just show some pictures from the event and some of the amazing walls created for Meeting of Styles Shoreditch 2015.

The Meeting of Styles in Shoreditch took place over the weekend of 10th and 11th July 2015.

Meeting of Styles Festival 2015 Gallery