Benalla is a town in North East Victoria known for it’s street art. The result of a number of successive street art festivals, they have left a legacy. Wander through the streets and you are bound to come across murals from a variety of artists.
Insane51, Adnate and Clare Foxton on big walls in Benalla. A sculptural piece from Alistair Mooney can be seen in the foreground
Wall to Wall Festival
The wall to wall festival started in Benalla in 2015 and held annual events up until 2019. The pandemic then played a part in preventing further festivals though further events are on the cards. In total over 70 murals can be found across the town and all are within easy walking distance of each other. Given the size of Benalla it will take only a few hours to wander around and discover the majority of them.
Mural by Sirum in the car park of Rambling Rose. It shows Ned Kelly looking at a mask
North East Victoria Silo Trail
North of Benalla is the North East Victoria Silo Art Trail. Many of the pieces forming part of the trail were also created as part of the wall to wall festivals. Townships such as Goorambat, Devenish, St James and Tungamah all have significant silo art murals to see. A little to the east of Benalla there is also painted water tank to discover in the Winton Wetlands.
A big mural celebrating Benalla from Tim Phibs and George Rose
Artists from all over Australia and the world have come to paint in Benalla. Australian artists Adnate, Kaff-eine, Lisa King, Tim Bowtell, Rosie Woods and Rone are well known for their work all over the country. Others such as Greece’s Insane51, Belgium’s Caratoes, Malaysia’s Jagung and American street artist have travelled widely with their art.
Map of Street Art in Benalla
Benalla Street Art Gallery
A selection of images from the streets of Benalla. Most of the murals are within easy walking distance of each other and all have been painted between 2015 and 2019. To see the work allow at least two hours to explore the streets of the town,
Hand puppets from 23rd KeySnake from Sirum on Salisbury Street. Part of the 2015 festivalThis from Sofles can be found on the edge of town near the roundabout leading to Witt StreetSkinny mural from the 2018 festival on Clarendon StreetMural from Malaysian artist Akid One as part of the 2019 festival. It shows the playing of a traditional Malaysian game called Congk’a’kTessa by Dvate. A portrait of the artists own dogKaffeines prancing unicorns Mural from Lisa King‘An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind. A quote from Ghandi painted by Tim Bowtell in 2016A gloriously Australian scene from Chris Henderson A number of smaller pieces can be seen from Captain Ear Wax from 2018Portrait from Rosie Woods as part of the 2018 festivalWork from Leonard Slaw on the side of a toilet block behind the main streetAmerican street artist Elle painting for the 2019 festivalMural from Loretta Lizzio with work from Tom Gerrard underneathAdnate’s portrait from the 2016 festival Cristen Brunner piece from the 2017 festivalUnicorns playing from KaffeineBelgian duo Caratoes painting for the 2019 festival The Regent Honeyeater from DvateRone piece in a back alley from 2017.Cocky Cubist a work from Chris Henderson aka Sirhc. The piece was inspired by some of Ned Kelly’s last days in prisonWork from Leans in Benalla‘Thylacine Fever Dream’ a mural from Squid Licker for the 2019 festivalWork from Dvate created in 2015 on the back of Harrison Dobson CottrellJustine McAllister work underneath the library buildingAlice Falling by Robyn Grove at the 2019 festivalA tribesman mourns his injured unicorn. An emotive piece on the library from Kaffeine as part of the 2018 festivalAmerican artist Elle painted in the skate park for the 2019 festivalWork from Frenchman Luka Weber from 2019Mural from Danielle Weber in the skate park Local artist Tim Bowtell has a number of works in the area including this one near the libraryJustine McAllister mural from 2018Mattie Davo’s portrait of his daughter painted during the 2019 festivalA giant floor mural covering the skate park from Kitt BennettPart one of the wall from Jagung at the 2019 festivalSecond part of Jagung’s wall at the 2019 festival. The location is a tricky to photograph alley just off the main streetAdnate mural created as part of the 2015 festival. It is one of the longest standing murals in the townGreek artist Insane51 painting at the 2019 festivalThis mural from Claire Foxton is a portrait of local Benalla teenager Jazzy Burke
The wall to wall festival is a street art festival which took place in the town of Benalla between 2015 and 2019. A planned festival for 2020 had to be cancelled due to the pandemic. More information about the festival can be found here.
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