Organisers of Bristol’s live street and urban art festival Upfest – the largest free event of its kind in Europe – are urging supporters to dig deep to make sure this year’s goes ahead.
The festival needs to reach its £20,000 crowdfunding target by this Sunday to ensure it returns to the streets in July. 
Now in its ninth edition, Upfest has launched its third crowdfunding campaign through fundsurfer.com/Upfest to raise £20,000 to help the team pay for part of the infrastructure to manage the 30,000-plus expected visitors at the free festival.
This will also enable the crew to give away additional materials to the festival’s 300 attending artists who support themselves with flights and accommodation over the duration of the festival. This afternoon the total stood at just over £13,600.
Rewards from leading street artists have been added to the crowdfunder for the final fundraising push, including a mural for your home or office by artist Hannah Adamaszek, well known for her meditation and yoga inspired portraits, and Cheba, whose Futuristic spray can art is instantly recognisable on the streets of Bristol.
Funders will also have the chance to own artwork that has been featured in the Upfest outdoor gallery at Cargo, Wapping Wharf since November. The first mural by Gemma Compton features her recognisably intricate floral designs and the second by Sophie Long features the renowned Bristol cormorants in brightly coloured hues.
Signed and numbered prints are available by artist Andy Colwill, whose work Children in a Balloon combines both the street art and hot air balloons which are synonymous with the city of Bristol.
There is also now a chance to have a graffiti lesson for a £25 donation.
The new pieces are included alongside the special limited edition print created by Cheo to celebrate Morph’s 40th birthday and this year’s festival print by Pahnl.
Everyone who donates £10 or more will also be automatically entered into a draw for two nights’ accommodation in the Grand Hotel for the Upfest Festival weekend, July 29-31.
Upfest founder and gallery owner Stephen Hayles said: “We’re proud to be back with what is expected to be the most colourful Upfest to date. The festival has grown exponentially every year with limited grants and our target is to raise a quarter of the festival budget, £20,000 through contributions from as little as £5 from everyone that supports the festival and love what we do in this little corner of the world.”
