Saturday, October 16, 2004

The Festival Shop was packed today at just after half past two when Chris McCafferty MP arrived to open the latest Festival event, the Street Art Exhibition.

10 out of 10 support proposals for a Legal Street Art wall.

10 out of every 10 people attending the weekends Street Art showcase event in Hebden Bridge supported the idea of a local Grafitti wall. At the event we asked those who visited the event firstly if they liked the art (all but a few said that they did) and secondly if they supported our request for a legal site to create and show our art, absolutely everyone agreed.

The local group of young people who organised a weekend of Street Art at Mango Development's Melbourne Mill came into town at the weekend. Their art work was shown at the Hebden Bridge Arts Festival Shop on Albert Street, Crabtrees and, Java Lounge (it can still be seen in both places) and the Mango Development site.

Christ McCafferty MP and James Allison Hebden Royd Mayor officially opened the event. Chris McCafferty said:

"I am delighted to be here to formally open this exhibition. Š..I am fully in support of events like this, which promote the legitimate aspects of street art. Like everyone here, I am completely against illegal graffiti and vandalism in the town. However, I am fully behind this group's call for a legal wall in Hebden Bridge, perhaps next to the skateboard park, on which to express themselves."

George Forsyth and Oliver Farrell said: " graffiti vandalism is not the same as graffiti art. We are young artists who like to create good art with alternative techniques. We're just trying to find a legitimate way to create our art."

The organisers are now asking Hebden Royd Town and Calderdale Council for their support to organise:

• Similar weekend events over the winter.
• A street Art 'jam' as part of Hebden Bridge Arts Festival in July
• A legal wall next to the Skate Park

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