News
World-renowned street artists to descend on Stockport for new urban graffiti festival
Five artists will bring the spirit of Argentina’s La Boca district to the back streets of Stockport
Georgina Pellant -
5th September 2023 
A group of world-renowned street artists will descend on Stockport for a new graffiti festival this month.
Five eminent artists from Argentina’s La Boca district are flying to Manchester this September to transform one of Stockport‘s forgotten backwaters.
Working alongside 12 local artists and 100 residents, artists Eva Luna Maissa, Patrica Salatino, Melina Lluvia, Omar Gasparini and Alejandro Fenochi will transform one of Stockport’s crumbling backstreets from a nowhere place into a somewhere place, just as they did in La Boca, Buenos Aires.
The project, which is called ‘La Boca to La Stocka’, is being masterminded by John and Sophie Macaulay, the husband-and-wife team behind Stockport’s GRIT Studios and Art Battle Manchester.
Speaking on the upcoming urban graffiti project, John said: “This could be the most exciting artistic event ever to happen in Stockport.
“We are bringing together people who have a lot in common, even though they live half a world away. It’s the spirit and drive to do something for themselves when everybody else seems to have given up on them.”
Sophie added: “We love the story of what artists were able to do in La Boca. It was a forgotten place; the buildings were crumbling; yet people were determined that their children should experience the influence of art and culture they used blank walls as their canvas.
“Today, La Boca has become a must-see destination, so we wondered if we could do the same for our
little bit of the world.”
The Argentinian artists will all live in the neighbourhood around Canal Street, Stockport for ten days, getting to know the community whilst painting together.
These five Argentinians will work collaboratively with 12 local artists, plus 100 residents, many of whom haven’t previously engaged with the town’s cultural offerings and activities.
Together they’ll create a unique, colourful space that it is hoped will make the community proud and attract new visitors to the town.
Read more:
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“We are both about bringing the power of art to the people rather than just the ‘usual suspects’ and we hope this will be the start of a long and fruitful relationship between our two neighbourhoods,” said John.
‘La Boca to La Stocka’ will take place in and around Canal Street and Lower Hopes Carr, Stockport between 3 and 12 September.
This is going to be special.
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Featured Image — Canal Street via Google Maps
