In the vibrant city of Tartu, Estonia, a unique and bold festival has been captivating the international street art community since 2010. Stencibility, an annual celebration of independent street art, challenges conventional art norms and champions the raw, unfiltered creativity that true street art embodies.
As this year’s European Capital of Culture, Tartu proudly hosts the 15th edition of the Stencibility Street Art Festival from July 4th to 7th, a testament to the city’s thriving and rebellious artistic spirit.
As a proud media partner, I am thrilled to support a festival that celebrates true artistic freedom, where artists can let their imaginations run wild, unrestrained by the demands of the traditional art world. I believe festivals like Stencibility are crucial for the health of the art form, reminding us of the importance of maintaining the raw, unfiltered essence of street art in an era increasingly dominated by large-scale, commissioned works.
Introducing Stencibility Street Art Festival and the Importance of Illegality and Creative Freedom in Street Art
Stencibility emerged from the vibrant local street artist community, growing organically to uphold the anarchic and independent spirit of street art. Unlike the increasingly common large-scale mural festivals, Stencibility stays true to the original ethos of street art: creative freedom, spontaneity, and illegality.
The festival mirrors the authentic way street artists work “in the wild.” By collaborating with wall donors who offer their spaces without requiring preliminary sketches or concepts, Stencibility allows artists to arrive in Tartu, select their favorite spots, and begin their creative process without further coordination. This approach preserves the spontaneity and authenticity of street art, enabling artists to express their vision without external constraints.
Elsewhere, what we now call “street art” involves meticulous planning, extensive paperwork, and compromises among various stakeholders, including city officials, wall owners, and festival funders. Stencibility, however, rejects this bureaucratic approach, remaining steadfast in its commitment to the original punk spirit of street art.
Stencibility’s unique format, known as “spraycation,” offers artists the freedom to create exactly what they want without any interference from clients, curators, or officials. They use the term “independent street art” to emphasize works created without imposed constraints, celebrating the artist’s singular vision. This unfiltered artistic expression is the essence of street art, and Stencibility ensures that no one has the power to alter the artists’ work. Whether artists choose to create smaller pieces or use their cars to reach higher surfaces, the festival supports their endeavors, championing true creative freedom.
Stencibility Street Art Festival 2024: Artists & Program
“This year a record 625 artists from all over Europe applied to come to the festival, so it was difficult to choose. In the end, we chose the artists who best fit the size and characteristics of Tartu and who would bring something completely new to our streets”
Sirla, Stencibility Crew
This year, the participating artists are:
- Sepe (PL)
- Jay Pop (PL)
- Zahars Ze (LV)
- Kobayashi (PL)
- NSN997 (IT)
- Trafik (LT)
- Martynas Auž (LT)
- Akvilė Magicdusté (LT)
- Borneo (VE/ES)
- ROMBO (LV)
- Ziepe (LV)
- Tron Karton (LV)
- Klub2020 (PL)
Also, DUPLO3, Pintsel, 126, KAIRO, Edward von Lõngus, Stina Leek, GUTFACE, and other Estonian artists will take part in the festival. Kaoseagent and Paula Liisa Eplik will have the chance to do their first street artworks as part of the festival program.
The 15th edition of Stencibility is part of the main programme of the European Capital of Culture Tartu 2024, which includes hundreds of other cultural events.
The festival’s main event is the exhibition “Hide and Seek: Pärmikas” in the abandoned yeast factory building where the public can play hide and seek with the works of street artists. In addition to that, SLÄP! citybus (aka Europe’s largest sticker exhibition) will ride around the town, and there will be street art tours both in Estonian and English.
See you in Tartu!
