 |
| Yardworks Festival returns to SWG3 on Saturday 2 May and Sunday 3 May 2026, marking its 10th anniversary with its most ambitious edition to date. Across two full days, the venue will once again be transformed into a working canvas, bringing together international muralists, local pioneers and emerging talent for a packed programme of live painting, installations, workshops, music and street culture. Since launching in 2016, Yardworks has grown from a grassroots gathering into Scotland’s leading festival of graffiti and urban art, now firmly established on the European circuit. For its anniversary year, the programme expands beyond the walls, with a broader focus on participation, education and the role of street art within the city. Across the weekend, visitors can watch large-scale murals unfold in real time, with artists working across SWG3’s indoor and outdoor spaces. This year’s line-up features more than 120 artists, spanning internationally recognised names alongside the next generation shaping the scene. New additions to the 2026 edition include PEACHZZ, recently ranked among the world’s leading street artists, alongside .EPOD, whose work blends graffiti with fine art and futurist influences. Also joining the programme are ZURIK, known for bold WildStyle lettering, and WILLIAN, whose detailed character work draws on vintage illustration and themes of identity. Representing Scotland are KMG & Pizzaboy, with further UK names including Katie Scott, Aroe, Tech Moon and Tizer. The international line-up is further strengthened by ESKAE and HOACS from the USA, alongside Nexus and Strapper from Australia, reflecting the depth and global reach of the scene. Beyond the murals, Yardworks continues to expand its interactive offer, with an enhanced programme of drop-in activities, workshops and participatory installations across the weekend. The Family Zone will run across both days from the SWG3 Warehouse, included within the ticket price, offering a wide range of hands-on activities. These include Spray Can Upcycling, transforming empty festival cans into colourful ornaments, and T-shirt Design, where visitors can rework previous Yardworks garments into new pieces using fabric pens, patches and heat press vinyl. Building Blocks, supported by Quickblocks, invites children to construct large-scale structures, while returning favourites such as The Cube and Posca Walls encourage collaborative, open-access creativity for all ages. The Doodle-a-thon also returns, with Yardworks once again aiming to create the longest collaborative doodle at a public event, building on last year’s unofficial record attempt. A new and expanded workshops programme will run across the weekend. For younger visitors, 30-minute spray painting sessions offer the chance to design and create a canvas piece to take home (£20). Adult workshops introduce more specialist techniques, including Design Your Deck, where participants create a bespoke artwork on a skateboard deck (£45), alongside sessions in traditional signwriting and Japanese calligraphy. New for 2026, Yardworks introduces a series of additional events and satellite activity. Beyond SWG3, the Kingston Bridge Satellite Site will see 16 pillars transformed as part of the ongoing Yardworks GRID placemaking programme, while the Clyde Walkway will host a refreshed programme of live painting across its established legal wall. An expanded talks and industry programme will run across the weekend, including a book launch, film screening and roundtable discussions exploring the role of graffiti and street art in culture, identity and regeneration. Alongside the art, street food traders and SWG3 bars will run throughout the weekend, with indoor and outdoor seating across the site. The event remains fully accessible and family-friendly, with activities designed to be explored at your own pace. As always, there will be plenty on offer for you to eat throughout the weekend. Some of the city’s best street vendors, including Wow Burger, Streat Scullery, The Wee Taqueria and more will head down to serve up fried chicken, bao buns, tacos, pizza, loaded fries and award-winning churros from Loop and Scoop, as well as ice cream from Tony’s Ice Cream Van. SWG3’s bars will be stocked with all your favourite drinks, making it the perfect event for a get-together with friends and family, with plenty of outdoor seating areas that are ideal for sitting down and taking in all the action. Artist Line-Up (2026) 120 artists including collectives will take part in this year’s festival: 5STAR 7TH PENCIL .AGES .EPOD AGNES AKME ALKO ANSLEY RANDALL ANTONE AROE ASER B-SIDE BATZ BIRDIE BMORE SKETCHY BONZAI BOOTY CHRISTIAN KERR CLAIRE KOSTRIC CONZO DAVID ALVES ED HICKS EKTO ELNO EMSKY ESKAE EVADE FRODRIK FUNKY GENT GILLIAN LAW HANS HOACS IKUL INUK IZMO JAPHER KATIE FORBES KATIE SCOTT KITSA KMG YEAH KONE LIGHTBODY LOURS MAGS MARIANNA DE SANTOS MIKHAELA MARTIN MOLD MOLLY HANKINSON MR OREO NEXUS NITRAM JOKE NIZMO ODDHOUSE OUTR PEACHZZ PELIKAN BABA PHYSIKS PIZZA BOY PLED POSEA POUT PROTEST & SUFFERAGETTES PSA RABB RASK RBF CREW RECKLESS REVES ROLEK SECK SHAUNA BLANCHFIELD SHONA HARDIE SIDOK SLIDERBANDITS SMT CREW SNUB SODA SOUPY SPRITE STOCKE STRAPER TAP END TEF TECH MOON THE LAST ONE THEME THIS ONE TIWS TOCS TOOTS TIZER TRENCH USTO VERNIS TORINO VISUALANTI VUES WEE THISTLES WILLIAN WOM COLLECTIVE YARD WARRIORZ ZURIK Tickets for Yardworks Festival 2026 are on sale now here. The finished artwork will be available for public viewing from 10am-4pm, Monday to Thursday. To book a tour or workshop for a school or community group, email: yardworks@swg3.tv |