lllawarra's Wonderwalls returns to Port Kembla, celebrates its 10th year

For a decade Wonderwalls has been a celebration of live street art with 110 local, national and international creatives grabbing paint tins and spray cans to transform dull, dingy city walls into masterpieces.

Read more: Thirroul Music Festival will ring out through venues like Papi's, Franks Wild Years

Festival director Simon Grant is "dusting off the cobwebs" for 2022 as it returns to Port Kembla.

"We had toyed around with the idea towards the end of 2021 around rolling it out but we didn't really want the event to be half-baked," Grant told the Mercury.

"It doesn't feel like there's anything in our way between now and November."

Rain shouldn't cause too much disruption, he said, as they had ways of ensuring artists - and the walls - could stay dry long enough for art's sake.

And despite the curve balls thrown by a global pandemic, Grant said there was never any doubt of the festival returning, just when.

Twelve artists will take over 12 fresh walls this year, to add to the 75-or-so artworks that have been left as a lasting legacy along walkways, alleyways and underpasses of Wollongong and Port Kembla.

Their only brief was to create something with the vision for the future of the steel suburb.

"Still 10 years on [there are] people looking and stopping and taking photos from the same walls from ... it's kind of been the gift that keeps on giving," Grant said.

"When we put the thing on it was really organic, couple of mates getting together and figuring it out on the spot to where it is now.

"To see what we've achieved ... what we've done and where we've come from, it's definitely very humbling."

Read more: South Coast country music festival to round out school holidays

It will be complemented by a family-friendly "block party" - thanks to Holy Pavlova and The Good Drop.

They will be programming live entertainment, artist talks, exhibitions, a pop-up bar and food trucks (catering to all types including vegan and gluten free) for the Friday night and Saturday.

It's understood the party precinct is part of the Smoke & Steel is an activation series highlighting unique spaces around the Illawarra.

Festival organisers will announce the full line-up of artists to create Wonderwalls within the next fortnight, though Grant was excited to be able to "unearth some real cool locals".

A grant from the NSW State Government's Port Kembla Community Infrastructure Fund has made the 2022 art festival possible.

Wonderwalls, Port Kembla, Novemebr 18 to 20. www.wonderwallsfestival.com.

We've made it a whole lot easier for you to have your say. Our new comment platform requires only one log-in to access articles and to join the discussion on the Illawarra Mercury website. Find out how to register so you can enjoy civil, friendly and engaging discussions. Sign up for a subscription here.