Together, the pair are pushing Sheffield’s growing street art scene into new territory. Alastair is known for getting stuck into community-led work, combining digital and hands-on methods to create immersive projects. Peachzz, meanwhile, is one of the city’s best-known exports – a muralist whose huge, nature-inspired walls can be found everywhere from Mexico to Miami. Last year, her Reverie mural in Pound’s Park – a 25.5m high kingfisher-and-heron ode to the city’s waterways – was named runner-up in the Street Art Cities Best Mural of the World 2024.
Backed by Visit Sheffield as part of the Festival of the Outdoors, Reverie has become one of the city’s most photographed artworks and a quiet point of civic pride. Peachzz’s nomination alone was a big deal — the top two finish cemented her place on the global stage.
Taking inspiration from top mural festivals like Upfest, Worcester Paint Festival, Cheltenham and Bring The Paint, the team behind Lick of Paint are doing it with a northern twist – no flashy gimmicks, just bold ideas, high standards, and a real commitment to people, place and sustainable artistry. The plan is to make it a regular feature in Sheffield’s creative calendar and to do it properly from the start.
Alastair Flindall and Megan Russell – Co-Founding Directors, Lick of Paint Festival
“Lick of Paint won't be Sheffield's first celebration of street art but is set to be the first official festival. We are excited to deliver several community-led projects with organisations such as ART+ at the Children's Hospital, South Yorkshire Transport and Artworks SY. As part of our commitment to fair pay in the sector and raising the profile of emerging and up-and-coming artists, we are developing a mentoring programme and opportunities beyond the festival’s reach to engage more artists in creating high-quality street art. We are keen to champion our own and bring international talent to the city, raising the profile of Sheffield as a creative hub.”
This won’t be a paint-by-numbers affair. Lick of Paint will be the UK’s first mural festival to truly highlight augmented reality (AR) and projection mapping – giving audiences a fresh way to interact with murals and explore stories beyond the wall. The team are also working hard to make sure this isn’t a flash in the pan: legacy projects, mentoring schemes, sustainability goals, and an inclusive artist selection process are all baked into the blueprint.
Councillor Martin Smith, Chair of the Economic Development and Skills Committee at Sheffield City Council, said:
“Sheffield is a city of makers. It is home to a vibrant and dynamic cultural and creative scene and thousands of makers and artists call the city home. Lick of Paint Festival aims to celebrate this. It will showcase the talents of local, national and international artists alike and give local people and visitors a unique opportunity to get involved and be a part of Sheffield’s creative scene. Events like this not only bring together communities but help to make Sheffield a vibrant place to live in and visit.”
The festival is backed by a host of local and national partners including Sheffield Hallam University, Sheffield City Council, Spray Plant UK and 1 Up Access. And while the art will be the main attraction, the festival’s impact is intended to last far beyond the weekend.
With Peachzz’s growing international recognition and Alastair’s roots in community practice, Lick of Paint is shaping up to be a proper Sheffield story: ambitious, collaborative, and rooted in a love for the city and the people who live in it.
Street art isn’t just for collectors or graffiti fans. It’s for everyone. It’s part of how a city speaks to itself. Lick of Paint gives it the space it deserves in Sheffield’s cultural life.