Europe's biggest street art festival

In need of something to eat and some fresh air, I left the office yesterday lunchtime and didn't realise that his amazing festival was taking shape within a few streets of our offices. Nelson Street in Bristol was buzzing with people taking photographs, artists on scaffolding creating street art and graffiti which looked absolutely amazing. I had to find out what was going on so spoke to a couple of guys who were wielding paint cans in a flourish in the same way as chefs wield knives! One guy said he was from Germany and had been invited as part of the 'See No Evil' big street art festival due to start this weekend. Hurrah for Bristol council, that's what I say!! I'm delighted but very surprised that they have the foresight to see just what a coup this is for Bristol. Nelson street has for as long as I've been working in Bristol, which is over 10 years, been one of the most boring streets imaginable. Lots of concrete walls, no character, in fact I had nothing nice to say about it at all. Until now, that is...

This is the biggest and best thing to happen to Nelson street and I applaud Bristol council for letting it happen. It's been organised by Bristol street artist and Banksy collaborator Inkie and has attracted more than 20 of the world's biggest street artists to come to take part. They will paint almost every building, some 10 stories high, in a bid to turn the boring buildings of Nelson Street into Bristol's next major tourist attraction. It is being promoted as one of the largest outdoor art exhibitions in the world. The official three-day celebration begins on Thursday and by then, I'm certain that every inch of that boring concrete facade will have been brought to life with the most amazing street graffiti you'll see anywhere in the world. Organisers are hoping this will be the biggest local art event since Banksy took over the Museum of Bristol which was over two years ago now. I missed that event because the queues were just so long. I feel privileged to be able to wander along the street today taking photographs and experiencing history being made in Bristol.