Frankston City Council’s Street Art Walking Tours have been recognised as among the nation’s best tourist experiences.
The tours have been shortlisted for the 2021 Australian Street Art Awards’ Best Street Art Tour category following a rigorous judging process, including second-tier auditing and due diligence checking.
“This is fantastic recognition of Frankston’s burgeoning arts scene. A canvas for some of the world’s best street artists, Frankston City is an iconic art and culture destination,” said Frankston Mayor, Nathan Conroy.
“Fuelled by the annual Big Picture Fest, each mural is an epic display of colour, creativity and movement and together they have been a catalyst for Frankston’s perceptual and physical transformation.”
The Mayor added that the 90-minute guided tours were developed by Council in 2018 to create a tangible experience around the City’s street art and to encourage both residents and visitors to explore and discover unexpected delights.
“Led by knowledgeable local guides, the tours are a deep dive into the unique and inspiring artworks following the Inner City Street Art Trail (a finalist in the 2019 Australian Street Art Wards) through the city’s streets and laneways,” the Mayor said.
State Member for Frankston, Paul Edbrooke said: “Extraordinary to see another example of how our community win through the partnership between the State Government and Council with Frankston once again making waves on the national stage.
“The evidence is clear that opportunities like this provide a boost in tourism, economic development and jobs in our community,” Mr Edbrooke said.
Australian Street Art Awards Director, Liz Rivers, said: “Being shortlisted in the Awards cements Frankston’s reputation as an aspirational destination for lovers of visually stunning experiences, with the City centre being home to 40 amazing artworks.”
The Australian Street Art Awards were established in 2018 and recognise destinations which are using outdoor art to attract visitors, boost their economy and engage the local community.
Winners in all 11 categories of the 2021 Australian Street Art Awards will be announced on Friday during an online celebration.
Council Coordinator for Tourism and Campaign Marketing, Amy Parsons said Frankston’s Street Art Walking Tours were a great way for people to discover the creative energy within Frankston City.
“Our street art helps create a sense of place, an identity for Frankston that builds on the reputation that our city is evolving. Participants are fascinated by the inspiration behind these artworks, created by some of the world’s best street artists.
“Our local guides share these stories. It’s a vibrant urban art experience that you don’t have to travel to Melbourne for,” Miss Parsons said.
Street Art Walking Tours run for 90 minutes, cost $15 per person, include a hot beverage, are family friendly and feature all abilities access with small groups of less than 10 people and private tours available on request.
Bookings are essential via https://www.discoverfrankston.com/things-to-do/tours/frankston/street-art-walking-tours
During The Big Picture Fest from 14 – 20 March the tours will be free, enabling participants to see the artists at work as they bring the total number of murals to over 50. The festival features renowned street artists creating vibrant and edgy artworks on buildings and in laneways across Frankston CBD.
