Painting the town: Elevation Mural Festival transforms North Shields into an outdoor gallery
Artist Nina Valkoff, credit: Rob Martinez
This summer, North Shields will burst into colour as the Elevation Mural Festival transforms the town into a vibrant, open-air art gallery.
Eight large-scale murals, created by some of the UK’s most exciting street artists, will change the face of North Shields. The striking artworks will celebrate the town’s unique character and colourful history, as a highlight of the North Shields 800 celebrations, marking 800 years of North Shields’ rich history.
The Festival is being led by Elevation, a local arts charity founded by residents and powered by passionate volunteers. It is funded by the North East Combined Authority via North Shields 800, Stonebanks Investments, Karbon Homes, Adderstone Living, RW Mann Trust, with additional donations from art sales and local residents who have generously contributed to help bring this vision to life.
Elevation’s mission is to breathe new life into blank walls and create a renewed sense of pride and place in North Shields. The large-scale artworks will be installed in iconic locations along the historic Fish Quay and in the heart of local communities. They will turn everyday spaces into landmarks of creativity and connection.
Artist Ricky Also, credit: David, MultiCapture
The Festival takes place during July and August 2025, with six featured artists selected from a highly competitive pool of applicants from across the UK and Europe. Over the summer months, they will create their works live on-site, offering the public a rare chance to witness mural-making in action.
The finished artworks will become part of a new North Shields Mural Trail, which both locals and visitors can enjoy into the future.
The talent on show is of the highest quality and follows a significant level of interest and submissions to paint the town.
The featured artists include KMG, a Scottish-based artist who has been creating street art for over two decades, working primarily with spray paint and masonry paint. Her distinctive, instantly-recognisable work often features large figures and mythical creatures, prompting reflection on cultural identity and contemporary environments.
Ricky Also is an artist and designer based in Southampton, with over 35 years in the graffiti and street art movements. His signature style combines bold, interlocking geometric typography with written messages for viewers to discover.
Nina Valkhoff is a talent crossing the North Sea from the Netherlands. Nina is a muralist from Rotterdam who has been painting murals for over 23 years in 15 different countries.
These artists are just a sample of incredible talent bringing something very special to North Shields for this 800th Anniversary.
Artist Mark Shields, MarkOne87
Matt Wilson, chair of the Elevation charity, said: “Firstly I’d like to say a big thank you to local artist Prefab_77. It was a conversation with him in a coffee shop a couple of years ago that first convinced us that turning drab gable ends into exciting artworks wasn’t just a mad idea but was possible. His generosity of time and money helped us get the ball rolling.
“Since then, we’ve been really heartened by the warm response to our plans. Local people have a sense that this will be another big boost for the North Shields, where the pace of positive change is now really gaining momentum.
“The Elevation Mural Festival promises to be a bold and beautiful reminder of North Shields’ unique heritage — and its growing reputation as a hub for creativity and culture.”
North Shields resident, Kirsty Ferguson, who is looking forward to seeing one of the murals on the gable end of her Edwardian house, said: “I’m thrilled to be part of the exciting changes that are happening here in North Shields. Although the mural will be on my house, it’s for everyone. I’m just the host. It will bring a new vibrancy to the area and bring the local community together.”
Chair of the North Shields 800 Committee, Sir Alan Campbell MP, said: “This exciting project celebrates the creative spirit and rich heritage of North Shields, as we mark the town’s historic 800th anniversary.
“It will leave a permanent legacy of the celebrations in prominent locations around the town, creating an attraction that visitors and local people can enjoy for many years to come.”
All Artist Bios
Mul
Mul is an artist and creative director from Newcastle upon Tyne, best known for his large-scale outdoor murals, often featuring his well-known Running Heart character. His popularity has grown since the 2020 lockdown, thanks to a spontaneous, head-turning style that combines the universal appeal of cartoons with the raw energy of street art.
Instagram: @mul_draws | Website
Marcus Reed
Marcus is an illustrator with a long track record of working with some of the world’s biggest brands and has picked up several awards along the way. His geometric style is well-established and widely recognised, with work exhibited internationally at venues including Tate Modern, La Gaîté Lyrique in Paris, and Beijing Design Week. Though he typically works at a smaller scale, he’s excited to explore how his distinctive illustrative style can translate into a large-scale mural setting for this festival.
Instagram: @marcus_reed_art | Website
Anthony Downie
Anthony Downie is an artist and set builder based in North Shields. He began as a spray paint art teacher, running community mural projects and illustrating album artwork. He later moved into scenic work for theatre and events, including with Northern Stage and Live Theatre. In recent years, he has rediscovered painting, with his richly coloured images of local streets and buildings exhibited at venues including the Biscuit Factory, Baltic, and Woodhorn.
Instagram: @ad.paintingz | Website
KMG
KMG is a Scottish artist who has been creating street art for over two decades, working primarily with spray paint and masonry paint. Brought up on the stories of Northern Scotland, she draws inspiration from Celtic folklore to celebrate, revive, and reclaim overlooked local mythologies. Her distinctive, instantly recognisable work often features large figures and mythical creatures, prompting reflection on cultural identity and contemporary environments.
Instagram: @kmgyeah | Website
Ricky Also
Ricky Also is an artist and designer based in Bournemouth, with over 35 years in the graffiti and street art movements. His signature style combines bold, interlocking geometric typography with written messages for viewers to discover. He also runs the creative studio Paintshop, delivering commercial projects and producing the Upside outdoor gallery and MultiStories mural festival.
Instagram: @rickyalso | Website
Prefab77
Prefab77 is a North Shields–raised artist whose influences span England, California, and New York. After early training in printmaking and design with the British Army, he moved into fashion and branding in New York — a period that sparked his fascination with portraiture and the female form. He works in mixed media, using spray paint, stencils, screen printing, and hand-finished touches across both small and large formats. His recent monochrome murals have drawn significant attention for their striking visual impact.
Instagram: @prefab77 | Website
Nina Valkhoff
Nina Valkhoff is a muralist from Rotterdam who has been painting murals for over 23 years and has painted in 15 different countries so far. Her murals highlight flora and fauna, often featuring unknown or underappreciated animals. Sometimes she focuses on local species. Her work encourages viewers to appreciate wildlife and to treat animals with greater care.
Mark One87
Mark One87 is a mural and graffiti artist from North Shields. Blending bold graphic imagery with raw graffiti textures, his work reflects a background in graffiti, design, and illustration. He has created bespoke murals across the UK and is passionate about community arts, known for his generous spirit and skill in working with young people. In 2024, he founded Elements: Street Art Festival, Newcastle’s first street art–focused festival.
Instagram: @elements_streetartfest | Website