The cityscape of Cape Town has been becoming increasingly arty over the last couple of years. Legal graffiti has become a unique artistic expression, as well as a tongue in the cheek social commentary tool. Street art is a mixture of artistic expression, a bit of rebellion and mixed together with these, inspiration for change in communities.

Baz-Art is a non-profit organisation which strives to empower local street artists, enabling them to transform their communities. They collaborate with local and international organisations to create an educational and creative environment for the artists.

The Yearly International Public Art Festival

IPAF was established to offer artists a platform for creative expression, through both street and fine art. Alexandre Tilmans is the mastermind behind the concept. His aim with the festival is to showcase the diversity and style of South African public artists. It offers a way for the public to learn more about the history and creative processes of the artists. He has created an artistic platform to commission city murals and billboards.

The festival exposes South African artists at both a local and international level. These public artworks are legal and festival goers can feel part of the creative process while watching the live creation of the murals. Plus, guided street art tours are also hosted.

This year 14 street artists will be participating in the festival, both locals and international artists. Artists from South Africa, America, Mexico, Germany, and Spain will be collaborating to create more spectacular murals for the city. It’s the third year the festival is hosted in Cape Town.

Entrance to the festival is free. During the live painting sessions, you can interact with the artists and socialise with like-minded people attending the festival. Baz-Art wants to create opportunities for the community to collaborate and possibly contribute to the reviving of public spaces with professional street art murals.

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Artist Line Up

International Artists: Aïda Gómez (Spain) | Bona Berlin (Germany) | Aleksandro Reis (Brazil) | Said Dokins (Mexico) | Kipper Millsap (USA)

South African Artists: Justin Nomad | Mernette Swart | Bongani Mahlathi | Ryan Allan| Shinji Akhirah | Wots | Seth Pimentel | Mister Bzar | | Urbankhoi

The 2019 festival theme is “Generation Next: Educate, Collaborate, Empower”. It places a renewed focus on the importance of the responsibility of successive generations to contribute to a better world for everyone.

Guided Street Art Tour

A street art tour in Cape Town is a unique cultural experience. The Mother City is accepting street art more and more. The art has almost-magical powers of reviving a neighbourhood. Salt River and Woodstock has the largest concentration of street art in the city.

The tour you will offer you more insight into the cultural history of the area and the Cape Malay community, as well as the deeper meaning behind each artwork. It’s an immersive tour that will leave you with a greater appreciation of this art form. A knowledgeable trained local tour guide presents the tour and a two hour long tour costs R650 per person.

Visit ipafest.co.za for more information and to book your guided street art tour.
Follow them on Instagram @bazart_ngo

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