01 Feb 2018 Border Mail, Albury-Wodonga (General News) by Jodie Bruton BENALLAS street art festival will reach new heights in silo art this year. The annual Wall to Wall Festival will include two satellite sites at Goorambat and Devenish, where leading artists will transform silos. The fourth annual festival will be held at Benalla on Labour Day Weekend, March 9-12. Benalla has become the regional street art capital of the country, with a densely populated outdoor street art gallery of more than 60 public artworks by Australias leading street artists, local emerging artists and renowned international artists. The economic impact of the festival was last year estimated at more than $6 million. Wall to Wall Festival artistic director Shaun Hossack said Benalla was the most exciting street art location in the country. The collection of street art works in Benalla is second to none, he said. There isnt another place in Australia that has so many high quality murals in such a small area. Even Melbourne, one of the worlds foremost destinations for street art, doesnt have this many murals in the one spot. This year temporary, inflatable sculptures will be dotted around the town by Australian contemporary street artist, Anthony Lister. It will have a virtual reality street art simulator at the events festival hub, giving viewers a first person perspective of what it feels like to be a spray paint artist. Street art tour guide David Russell will give an insiders look at how different street artists work has evolved and the styles and approaches the artists take when creating works. Member for Northern Victoria Jaclyn Symes welcomed the return of the festival. The festival brings thousands of people to my beautiful home town, boosting the local economy and supporting local jobs, she said. It also has reinvigorated Benalla, putting it on the world stage as a leader in street art. The Wall to Wall Festival is something we can all be extremely proud of. Wall to Wall Festival committee chairwoman Roxanne Demasson said it was a highlight on the North East social calendar. I am so excited about the vibrancy this festival brings to Benalla and the energy and colour it brings to the streets of our town, she said. It is revitalising our arts scene and it is putting us on the map as an arts destination of the High Country. The new committee, made up of young artists and business owners from Benalla, is bringing a fresh perspective on what this festival can be. It strengthens our local arts scene and creates pathways into the arts for young people. Caption Text: BIRDS EYE VIEW: More than 60 public artworks by Australian and international street artists dot the Benalla streetscape. Picture: NICOLE REEDLicensed by Copyright Agency. You may only copy or communicate this work with a licence.