Word is starting to spread across Australia about Darwin’s little-known art culture that has transformed the city into an urban exhibition that never closes.
Those walking the streets of the Northern Territory’s capital will find them littered with striking and vibrant street artworks of all shapes and sizes on the sides of buildings and hidden walls.
The works of art have become so synonymous with the city among locals, there is the Darwin Street Art Festival (DSAF) started in 2017, co-organized by artist David Collins, who made rebellious graffiti in his youth.
David told FEMAIL that he now spends his days exploring empty building walls to have a new mural painted for the highly anticipated festival that people from out of town travel to witness.
Visitors don’t have to attend the festival, which usually takes place in late August each year, to see the city’s spectacular art in all its glory.
Darwin has become a cultural hub because of the incredible street art that covers the city, transforming the city into an urban art exhibition that never closes
The artworks have become so synonymous with the city among locals that there is the Darwin Street Art Festival, organized in part by artist David Collins, who defiantly painted graffiti in his youth
Over the three weeks of the DSAF, he brings in international, national and local artists to paint incredible masterpieces that have transformed the streets of the CBD.
David leads DSAF through it Right creativean art initiative he founded 15 years ago with friend Jesse Bell.
The pair have lived and loved Darwin all their lives, and have been at the forefront of street art culture there since their teenage years.
‘I wasn’t interested in sports like all the other boys growing up, I was painting instead. “It’s probably kept me out of trouble for the most part,” he said.
The trouble David got into was when he was picked up by the police for spray painting the walls of buildings all over the city.
One place he often visited was Austin Lane in the heart of Darwin, which became public domain in 2009, allowing anyone to make their mark.
The vibrant street is now home to Darwin’s street art, with some of the largest murals on display, as well as an array of creative spray-painted scribbles, portraits and scribbles.
Austin Lane is home to Darwin’s street art, with some of the largest murals and an array of creative spray-painted scribbles, portraits and scribbles
A breathtaking trio of gray tones painted last year adorns the side of an apartment building. David was stunned to see artist Andrew Bourke create the towering designs freehand
Andrew covered the mud crab with symbols and motifs related to his time in the territory, including an image of a hermit crab that stole a slice of pizza on the beach one evening
A stunning trio of grays painted last year adorns the side of an apartment block that spans the entire height of the building on Austin Lane.
David was stunned to see artist Andrew Bourke work with Jesse to freehand the towering designs of a crocodile, mud crab and native man.
Andrew covered the mud crab with symbols and motifs related to his time in the territory, including an image of a hermit crab that stole his slice of pizza on the beach one night.
David said 108 pieces were created as part of the festival, and that doesn’t even include the countless “doodles all over the city.”
He said he knows office workers who went to the same lunch spot every day, but during their breaks were diverted to view a new work of art and came across a cafe or restaurant they didn’t know existed.
‘The street art makes you want to go to another street that you may not have walked on yet. I never thought we would change the way people moved around the city,” David said.
As the festival’s popularity grew, organizers were able to develop the Darwin Street Festival app, which gives users an interactive map and information about each piece of street art, so people can take themselves on a self-guided tour.
Darwin office workers who go to the same lunch spot every day are diverted during their breaks to view a new work of art and come across a cafe or restaurant they never knew existed.
Over the three weeks of the festival, David brings together international, national and local artists to paint incredible masterpieces that have transformed the streets of the CBD
The Darwin Street Festival app gives users an interactive map and information about each street artwork, so people can take themselves on a self-guided tour
There’s even an augmented reality feature that brings selected works of art to life via a smartphone camera.
David laughs. The council complained that the app was ‘too interactive’ as users walked backwards onto the road and looked into their phone’s camera to see the impressive feature.
He said while the festival is well known through Darwin, he has noticed rumors coming out of the area.
“It really brought tears to my eyes when I met a couple who came to Darwin especially for the festival,” he said.
When Proper Creative and DSAF first started, David was constantly tempted by the blank canvases all over town and fought tooth and nail to convince homeowners and property owners to let an artist paint their exterior walls.
“We are now on the map, we used to have to beg the building owners, but now they come to me,” he said.
“So many locals also relate to the murals, everyone has their favorite and will tell us which walls to paint.”