Walking tours run away with national prize

Congratulations, Frankston – you did it! The Frankston Street Art Walking Tours have won gold in the 2021 Australian Street Art Awards for Best Street Art Tour.

“This is wonderful recognition for Frankston,” Mayor Nathan Conroy said. “The city is truly transforming into a vibrant destination for events, arts and culture. The street art tours are the result of a cross-council collaboration to build a tangible experience for residents and visitors around these magnificent artworks dotted across the city.

“Frankston is full of amazing arts and culture assets, and building these experiences is a wonderful way to help people engage with our city,” Cr Conroy said. “The tours ran monthly in the beginning; now they run twice weekly – to accommodate demand and, with the introduction of twilight sessions, to encourage people to venture into our city when it comes to life after dark.”

Judges at the awards, which were announced on the Sunshine Coast last month, said of the tours: “This walking tour is contributing significantly to making Australia a more vibrant, creative and interesting country – somewhere visitors want to explore more keenly. This is a world-class example of how street art can operate as an activation and immersive experience to generate civic

pride while also bolstering the local economy through tourism. What stood out for us is how the tours are embraced by locals who want to show off ‘their’ art to visiting friends and relatives, creating a win-win situation for everyone involved – the council, residents, visitors and the artists whose works are on show.”

Awards director Liz Rivers added: “Australia has a long history of creating superlative public art that captivates visitors. Until these awards were launched in 2018 though, there had never been a way of rewarding and supporting places like Frankston that created these artrelated experiences for travellers. The Australian Street Art Awards remedied that shortcoming.”

The tours, which are operated by Frankston City Council, beat the Dinosaur Canyon Experience Tour in Winton, Queensland, and the Big Rivers Portrait Series in Katherine, Northern Territory. They run for 90 minutes and cost $15.

Cr Conroy said Frankston’s street art was fuelled by last month’s annual Big Picture Fest, with each mural an epic display of colour, creativity and movement. “Together they have been a catalyst for Frankston’s perceptual and physical transformation. Led by knowledgeable local guides, the tours are a deep dive into the unique and inspiring artworks following the Inner City Street Art Trail through the city’s streets and laneways.”

Frankston state Labor MP Paul Edbrooke said he was “absolutely delighted” to hear of the win. “Frankston has been put on the map and we are being nationally recognised once again,” Mr Edbrooke said.

For more information, visit www.discoverfrankston.com