AcombFest '26

AcombFest runs from Friday 3 to Sunday 5 July across Acomb, York's first mural festival. Curated by Art of Protest, the whole thing centres on the theme 'Returning to Nature', and it's designed to turn the neighbourhood into an open-air gallery and a creative playground over the weekend. The organisers spent time before the festival talking to over 1,100 local residents and nine schools to get a handle on Acomb's history, flora, and wildlife, and that's what's gone into the murals.

There's a long list of artists involved: Curtis Hylton, PEACHZZ, SledOne, SMUG, The Postman, Jim & Ben Grant, Jeff Clark, Rare Collective, Boxxhead, Hazardone, Lady Mkei, Lincoln Lightfoot, Liskbot, Nicolas Dixon, Sola, SPAM, and Vyx. They'll be working on large-scale murals across the area, turning walls into landmarks. One of the highlights is a 'Paintjam', where nine artists create original works live. There's also a nature-inspired trail of artwork to follow, community cinema, spoken word sessions, and local history tours.

Beyond the street art, there's a separate Art and Photography Exhibition at St Stephen's Church, curated by Rev Matt Woodcock, featuring works by Damien Hirst, Tracey Emin, and Anthony Caro. The festival is spread across several venues, including Front Street, Acomb Explore Library, Acomb Methodist Church, Fishponds Wood, Holgate Windmill, and St Stephen's Church. Most activities are free, though some sessions at individual venues are ticketed. The Mayor of York and North Yorkshire, David Skaith, has pointed to the project as a model for evolving high streets into vibrant, creative hubs.