Ashford’s Mural Festival is shortlisted for National Association of Town & City Management Award

Ashford’s first mural festival, UNFRAMED, which took place in April 2023, has been nationally shortlisted for Best Culture and Arts Scheme at this year’s Association of Town & City Management Awards.

UNFRAMED saw 18 blank walls and spaces in Ashford Town Centre transformed into beautiful and thought-provoking artworks over March 2023, with the festival running over the Easter Holidays and providing free guided tours of the murals, creative workshops, a film-programme and an immersive dance performance in the town centre.

The programme was curated by The London Mural Company and Accent Agency Ltd and saw national and local artists all take on the challenge of developing their walls including Mr Doodle, Alex Chinneck, Charlie Peters and Danielle Williamson. Students from Ashford College also developed two of the murals – one at Ashford International Station and the other on the wall of the College.

This second prestigious award nomination for UNFRAMED follows Curtis Hylton’s mural, Flamboyant Fawn, (Bank Street, Ashford) being globally recognised earlier this year and winning Street Art Cities’ Best Street Art in the World for March 2023 award.

Cllr Heather Hayward, Cabinet Member for Performance and Direction at Ashford Borough Council said: “We are delighted to have been nominated for another nationally recognised award, and I want to offer a huge congratulations to the team behind the project; including the artists, landlords and delivery partners.

"UNFRAMED has created a legacy street art trail in Ashford Town Centre which has improved public spaces making them feel safer, as well as creating wayfinding around the town. Being shortlisted alone is a wonderful achievement, and we look forward to seeing how the team get on at the ceremony.”

To find out more about UNFRAMED and to download a trail map visit loveashford.com