Live painting events are always great, but with the added twist of a live painting battle you have Secret Wars.

I first discovered secret wars when london based ‘Monorex’ came to manchester to battle against Manchesters finest scrawlers ‘Sketch City’.

The Rules

- 90 MINS ON THE CLOCK
- BLACK PAINT ONLY – ON WHITE WALLS!
- NO SKETCHES / NO PENCILS
- INVISIBLE MIDDLE LINE WITH AN ARTIST EITHER SIDE

JUDGED USING A 3 POINT SYSTEM – 2 GUEST JUDGES AND A CROWD VOTE
(USING A DECIBEL READER)

needless to say, the london boys went home with their tail between their legs

QUESTION FROM FORMAT MAGAZINE:
How did the idea of a art battle start to materialize?

SW:
If my memory serves me right – I had just watched Warriors and Fight Club and probably had a couple of beers inside me – I started thinking how could we up the ante at our exhibitions and make it more of a show for the people….A day or so later and a pad filled with ideas, Secret Wars was born. Obviously the title was inspired by the Marvel comic – where many characters were summoned to a planet in a duel to the death. The rest is history…

Photos from Sketch City vs Monorex

Go to http://www.secretwars.co.uk/ to find out more info for next events, or to sign up for a battle if you think you got what it takes.

GO BIG OR GO HOME!

Urban Shrines of Sztuka Fabryka

Growing up on the countryside an ancient old community of small farmers became replaced by glossy villas  folk art and culture [chapels - shrines - …] in the name of devotion disappeared along with the little farms – the trees – our urban shrines are a homage to the culture and the beauty of the past yet combined with influences and ideas we do get today.

Links:
http://www.sztuka-fabryka.be/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sztuka_fabryka

- Stephen Ball

Hi, im Stephen Ball, and i have been asked by the great people here at Concrete Canvas to be a guest blogger, so i thought my first post should be something thats very close to my heart and inspiration, its sad times in the street art world…

I started going to the sketch city events in 2005 and they have helped me so much with exposure, aswell as inspiration, and work. Earlier this year they opened their own street art gallery space in the heart of manchester. Upperspace, has been a very popular gallery, and has had some really great exhibitions from world renouned street artists, and illustrators including, Jon Burgerman, Guy McKinley, China Mike, Hammo, Laurie Pink,8-bit, and countless others…

They announced this week that they will be closing, due to circumstances…

Please read their press release below, and get on board to help the guys out.

// HISTORY
Upper Space was started by the Arts07 award winning Sketch City in 2007. Built over the last year and a half in an old warehouse in the cultural heart of Manchester, Upper Space is home to the region’s first street art gallery space, a cafe, an event space and alternative clothing boutique.

Adopting Manchester’s world renowned D.I.Y. approach to innovation and the arts, Sketch City and Marbella Cafe were joined by over 30 volunteers who gave their time and skills over the course of 6 months for the creation of a new, exciting social and artistic hub in the heart of the northern quarter of Manchester. Seeing the potential of the space and the shared ethos of the people involved, a Community Interest Company was formed that brought together Sketch City, Marbella Creative Industries and the Silverwood shop to create the Upper Space Collective. A proper grass roots venture.

Opening in February 2008, the Upper Space took the city by storm and soon developed a reputation for cutting edge events, gallery shows and promoting inclusivity to the arts across the spectrum. Having helped launch the careers of some of the regions most exciting, contemporary up and coming street artists, our aim is to promote the visual arts and the social within the city centre of Manchester and further afield.

// UPPER SPACE FORCED EVICTION

WEDNESDAY 3RD DECEMBER

Upper Space employees arrived to work on the 3rd of December to find the doors to the building chained and padlocked, the dispute, between the owners of the building and Sunshine Studios has resulted in Upper Space being given the options of paying 50% more rent or closing. With no forewarning being given at all to the events of the morning, Upper Space has been temporarily occupied by members of the collective until we can remove the artists work and our possessions from the building and relocate to a new premises.

PLEASE SIGN OUR ONLINE PETITION AS WE RAISE AWARENESS AND GATHER SUPPORT FOR A NEW HOME IN THE NEW YEAR…

http://www.gopetition.co.uk/petitions/upper-space.html

PLEASE SPREAD THE WORD AND HELP US TO PROMOTE ALTERNATIVE CULTURE IN A CITY THAT IS BECOMING MORE AND MORE PRIVATIZED BY THE SECOND.

MUCH LOVE

UPPER SPACE XXX

Concrete Canvas are looking to bring in some new writing talent to the site to express their personal views on the street art scene and what’s impressing them. We will be trying to involve some big name street artists and some smaller ones. We’ll also be bringing the community on board from our forum.

First guest blogger is Stephen Ball, an active member of our forum. Stephen is a very talented artist who really has a very unique canvas artwork style.

If you would like to be a guest blogger on the website please get in touch via our contact page.