Graffitea 2024: Cheste transformed during 9th edition

Today we have images from the 9th edition of the International Street Art Festival Graffitea in Cheste, Spain! Every April for the past nine years, Graffitea presents locals with a dynamic celebration of urban art, transforming the streets of Cheste into a huge canvas with works by national and international artists.

Cheste is located approximately 30 kilometres west of the city of Valencia and is becoming a notable destination for street art and cultural tourism. Cheste’s vibrant cultural scene is characterised by several key attractions that attract visitors from far and wide, including the historic city centre, picturesque plazas, Valencian architecture, traditional local markets, the Circuit Ricardo Tormo racing events and the San Francisco de Asís church with its Baroque architecture and intricate interior.

This year’s festival featured an impressive line-up of artists, including Jota López, B:K Mafia, Bublegum, Barbiturikills, Luca Ledda, La Compañía de Mario, Yeko Yekill, Nemo LKA, Zorro and Lluís Salvador. Each artist contributed to an ever-growing collection of over 130 murals that adorn the facades and walls of Cheste’s residential and industrial buildings. In addition, the festival’s artistic director, Toni Espinar, created the first mural in the “Muros Insumisos” (Rebellious Walls) series, which aims to provoke thought and dialogue through art.

This year’s theme emphasized the freedom of expression and community collaboration that Graffitea is known for. In addition to live painting, the festival included guided tours, educational workshops, and the screening of a documentary exploring the historical roots of hip-hop, produced over two years of research and filming. Schools in the area also participated, creating collaborative murals as part of the UrbanEducArt competition led by Valencian artist Xemayo.

Cheste, with a population of around 8,500, is becoming increasingly well-known for its street art scene, and Graffitea continues to enhance the city’s cultural landscape, cementing its place within the wider network of contemporary art museums and cultural events. The festival’s impact has been recognised with awards for cultural governance and is gradually attracting more international attention. We thank photographer Lluis Olive for regaling BSA readers with some images he took during a recent trip to Valencia.